To maintain high quality and microbiological safety of paprika during storage for export, paprika samples after harvest were treated with 75 ppmv chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas and stored at 8°C, which is the optimal storage temperature, for 30 days. ClO2 gas treatment reduced initial populations of total aerobic bacteria in samples by 1.62 log CFU/g as well as yeast and molds by 1.45 log CFU/g compared to those of the control. During storage, weight loss of all samples increased, and samples treated with ClO2 gas showed lower weight loss than the control. In addition, total soluble solid and total phenolic contents were not significantly different between the samples during storage, whereas vitamin C content and hardness of all samples decreased. Hunter L, a, and b values of paprika samples were not significantly different between the treatments. These results suggest that ClO2 gas treatment can be effective for improving microbiological safety and maintaining high quality of paprika during storage.Key words: paprika, postharvest treatment, chlorine dioxide gas, microbiological safety

To improve the microbiological safety of wild vegetables after harvest, Aster scaber and Cirsium setidens Nakai were treated with combinations of 50 ppm aqueous chlorine dioxide (ClO2)/0.5% citric acid or fumaric acid, and 50 ppm ClO2/0.5% fumaric acid/blanching at 90°C for 2 min. Combined treatment of 50 ppm ClO2 and 0.5% citric acid reduced populations of total aerobic bacteria, yeast, and molds in Aster scaber and Cirsium setidens Nakai by 2.80∼3.64 and 2.02∼2.67 log CFU/g, respectively, compared to those of the control. Combined treatment of 50 ppm ClO2 and 0.5% fumaric acid reduced total aerobic bacteria, yeast and molds populations by 3.62∼3.82 and 2.47∼3.02 log CFU/g, respectively. Based on the results, combined treatment of ClO2 and fumaric acid was more effective in controlling microorganisms in the wild vegetables than either ClO2 or citric acid. In addition, combined treatment of ClO2/fumaric acid/blanching reduced the populations of total aerobic bacteria by 4.59∼5.12 log CFU/g, and populations of yeast and molds were not detected by treatment. These results suggest that combined treatment of ClO2/fumaric acid/blanching is the most effective method for improving microbiological safety of wild vegetables after harvest.Key words: wild vegetable, chlorine dioxide, organic acid, blanching, microbiological safety