Harvard Study: Electrically Charged Water Can Fight Foodborne Pathogens

“Nanosized” droplets of electrically charged water have been shown to inactivate pathogens on the surface of food and could one day become an environmentally friendly way to make food safer.  That’s according to a study from researchers at Harvard University published in Environmental Science and Technology and reported on by Chemical & Engineering News.  The researchers say that if the technique can be improved, charged droplets of water could be a sustainable replacement to current methods of fruit and vegetable disinfection, which include applying mild bleaches, peroxides, and other chlorine-based solutions.  Depending on the type of pathogen, the duration of the exposure, and the surface or food where the pathogen was located, laboratory tests showed that the charged water could eliminate anywhere from 80 to 98 percent of E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria.  The treatment works by spraying aerosolized water through an electrical field, resulting in charged droplets roughly 25 nanometers in diameter. A strong enough electrical charge will increase the droplet’s surface tension to the point of preventing evaporation.  Sensory tests showed that the charged water did not alter the taste or texture of any foods tested.  The downside: Current regulation typically requires a 99.999-percent elimination of bacterial loads for similar treatments. The charged water method would need to produce more consistent results — and do so more quickly — to become a viable option for the food industry.