21Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was used to maintain the microbial wash water quality of a full-scale 22 leafy vegetables (radicchio, sugar loaf, curled endive, lollo, lollo rosso) wash water process.
23Despite addition of 300 L/h of 1.8 % H2O2 to a 450 L washing bath (333 ± 50 kg/h fresh-cut 24 produce introduction speed), the H2O2 quickly decreased and a lower wash water contamination of 25 aerobic psychrotrophic plate count (APC) and enterococci than without addition of H2O2 could not 26 be maintained. There was no significant difference between the APC on fresh-cut leafy vegetables 27 washed with H2O2 and those washed with water.
28In a second part, lab-scale experiments were performed to assess the impact of a commercial metal