Scientists studying use of electrolyzed oxidized water in poultry

A new use for electrolyzed oxidized water
University of Georgia scientists are looking at approaches to using electrolyzed oxidized (EO) water to sanitize fresh chicken, the university has announced.
“We wanted to use the water on chicken carcasses to see if it cuts down on the levels of Salmonella and Campylobacter,” said Yen-Con Hung, a food scientist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Hung and fellow researchers estimate using the EO water can be as much as 10 times more effective at bacterial elimination than other methods.
To create the water, a saltwater solution undergoes an electrolysis process, which isolates the positive and negative ions. That process separates the water into two distinct types: acidic and alkaline. This method is already in use in some processing plants of ready to eat salads; results are very good according to the producers.
Hung tested both the acidic and alkaline EO water on fresh chicken carcasses along with Scott Russell, associate professor of poultry science. The testing showed that the acidic EO water destroyed foodborne pathogens on the carcass and the alkaline water cleaned the carcass afterwards.
“The alkaline stream of EO water mixes with the fat on the chicken, cleanses the surface and protects the carcass in the future,” Russell said. “It’s just like when your grandmother mixed fat and lye to make soap.”
Meatingplace.com
Aporte: Guillermo Figueroa