Ozone as a novel emerging technology for the dissipation of pesticide residues in foods–a review

Substantial removal of four pesticide residues in three fruits with ozone microbubbles

Developing a straightforward method to remove pesticide residues from fruits is essential for food safety. In this study, ozone microbubble treatment was performed on three fruits (strawberry, cherry, and apricot) to remove four pesticide residues (emamectin benzoate, azoxystrobin, boscalid, and difenoconazole) while comparing removal efficiency. The concentration of hydroxyl radicals in different washing orientations was homogeneous at a concentration ranging between 8.9 and 10.2 μmol·L-1. Under long washing time (18 min), strawberry, cherry, and apricot obtained higher removal rates of 51 %∼65 %, 51 %∼59 % and 24 %∼70 %, respectively. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and contact angle (CA) revealed that apricot has better hydrophobicity, leading to a higher pesticide removal of 45 ∼ 84 % with less water and more vigorous washing. Notably, vitamin C content in fruits remain largely unchanged following ozone microbubble treatment. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of ozone microbubble treatment as pollution-free method for enhancing food safety by removing pesticide residues on fruits.

MnO2/TiO2-Catalyzed ozonolysis: enhancing Pentachlorophenol degradation and understanding intermediates

Pentachlorophenol is a pesticide widely known for its harmful effects on sewage, causing harm to the environment. In previous studies, our group identified adsorption as a crucial factor in catalytic ozonation processes, and subsequent observations revealed the catalyst's role in reducing toxicity during degradation. In this research, we quantified organochlorine intermediates and low molecular weight organic acids generated under optimal pH conditions (pH 9), with and without the catalyst. Additionally, we assessed the reactivity of these intermediates through theoretical calculations. Our findings indicate that the catalyst reduces the duration of intermediates. Additionally, the presence of CO2 suggests enhanced mineralization of pentachlorophenol, a process notably facilitated by the catalyst. Theoretical calculations, such as Fukui analysis, offer insights into potential pathways for the dechlorination of aromatic molecules by radicals like OH, indicating the significance of this pathway.

The Chemical Landscape of Leaf Surfaces and Its Interaction with the Atmosphere

Atmospheric chemists have historically treated leaves as inert surfaces that merely emit volatile hydrocarbons. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that leaves are ubiquitous substrates for multiphase reactions-implying the presence of chemicals on their surfaces. This Review provides an overview of the chemistry and reactivity of the leaf surface's "chemical landscape", the dynamic ensemble of compounds covering plant leaves. We classified chemicals as endogenous (originating from the plant and its biome) or exogenous (delivered from the environment), highlighting the biological, geographical, and meteorological factors driving their contributions. Based on available data, we predicted ≫2 μg cm-2 of organics on a typical leaf, leading to a global estimate of ≫3 Tg for multiphase reactions. Our work also highlighted three major knowledge gaps: (i) the overlooked role of ambient water in enabling the leaching of endogenous substances and mediating aqueous chemistry; (ii) the importance of phyllosphere biofilms in shaping leaf surface chemistry and reactivity; (iii) the paucity of studies on the multiphase reactivity of atmospheric oxidants with leaf-adsorbed chemicals. Although biased toward available data, we hope this Review will spark a renewed interest in the leaf surface's chemical landscape and encourage multidisciplinary collaborations to move the field forward.

From field to table: Ensuring food safety by reducing pesticide residues in food

The present review addresses the significance of lowering pesticide residue levels in food items because of their harmful impacts on human health, wildlife populations, and the environment. It draws attention to the possible health risks-acute and chronic poisoning, cancer, unfavorable effects on reproduction, and harm to the brain or immunological systems-that come with pesticide exposure. Numerous traditional and cutting-edge methods, such as washing, blanching, peeling, thermal treatments, alkaline electrolyzed water washing, cold plasma, ultrasonic cleaning, ozone treatment, and enzymatic treatment, have been proposed to reduce pesticide residues in food products. It highlights the necessity of a paradigm change in crop protection and agri-food production on a global scale. It offers opportunities to guarantee food safety through the mitigation of pesticide residues in food. The review concludes that the first step in reducing worries about the negative effects of pesticides is to implement regulatory measures to regulate their use. In order to lower the exposure to dietary pesticides, the present review also emphasizes the significance of precision agricultural practices and integrated pest management techniques. The advanced approaches covered in this review present viable options along with traditional methods and possess the potential to lower pesticide residues in food items without sacrificing quality. It can be concluded from the present review that a paradigm shift towards sustainable agriculture and food production is essential to minimize pesticide residues in food, safeguarding human health, wildlife populations, and the environment. Furthermore, there is a need to refine the conventional methods of pesticide removal from food items along with the development of modern techniques.

Gamma irradiation and ozone application as preservation methods for longer-term storage of bee pollen

Bee pollen is a healthy product with a good nutritional profile and therapeutic properties. Its high moisture content, however, promotes the growth of bacteria, molds, and yeast during storage commonly result in product degradation. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of gamma irradiation (GI) and ozone (OZ) as bee pollen preservation methods for longer storage time, as well as whether they are influenced by pollen species. To do that, GI at a dosage of 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 kGy was applied at a rate of 0.68 kGy/h and OZ application at a concentration of 0.01, 0.02, and 0.03 g/m3 was applied for one time for 6 h, to Egyptian clover and maize bee pollen, then stored at ambient temperature for 6 months. We then determined the total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity of treated and non-treated pollen samples at 0, 3, and 6 months of storage. Total bacteria, mold, and yeast count were also evaluated at 0, 2, 4, and 6 months. Statistical analyses revealed that, TPC, antioxidant, and microbial load of both clover and maize pollen samples were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by both treatment and storage time and their interaction. Both methods were extremely effective at preserving the antioxidant properties of pollen samples after 6 months of storage at room temperature. Furthermore, the highest concentrations of both GI and OZ applications completely protected pollen samples from mold and yeast while decreasing bacterial contamination. GI at the highest dose (7.5 KGy) was found to be more effective than other GI doses and OZ application in preserving biologically active compounds and lowering the microbial count of pollen samples for 6 months. As a result, we advise beekeepers to use GI at this dose for longer-term storage.

Exploring Non-Thermal Plasma and UV Radiation as Biofilm Control Strategies against Foodborne Filamentous Fungal Contaminants

In recent years, non-thermal plasma (NTP) has emerged as a promising tool for decontamination and disinfection within the food industry. Given the increasing resistance of microbial biofilms to conventional disinfectants and their adverse environmental effects, this method has significant potential for eliminating biofilm formation or mitigating the metabolic activity of grown biofilms. A comparative study was conducted evaluating the efficacy of UV radiation and NTP in eradicating mature biofilms of four common foodborne filamentous fungal contaminants: Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium culmorum, and Fusarium graminearum. The findings reveal that while UV radiation exhibits variable efficacy depending on the duration of exposure and fungal species, NTP induces substantial morphological alterations in biofilms, disrupting hyphae, and reducing extracellular polymeric substance production, particularly in A. alternata and F. culmorum. Notably, scanning electron microscopy analysis demonstrates significant disruption of the hyphae in NTP-treated biofilms, indicating its ability to penetrate the biofilm matrix, which is a promising outcome for biofilm eradication strategies. The use of NTP could offer a more environmentally friendly and potentially more effective alternative to traditional disinfection methods.

Progress in environmental monitoring and mitigation strategies for herbicides and insecticides: A comprehensive review

Herbicides and insecticides are pervasively applied in agricultural sector to increase the yield by controlling or eliminating bug vermin and weeds. Although, resistance development occurs, direct and indirect impact on human health and ecosystem is clearly visible. Normally, herbicides and pesticides are water soluble in nature; accordingly, it is hard to decrease their deadliness and to dis-appear them from the environment. They are profoundly specific, and considered as poisonous to various peoples in agricultural and industrial work places. In order to substantially reduce the harmful impacts, it is crucial to thoroughly examine the detection and mitigation measures for these compounds. The primary objective of this paper is to provide an overview of various herbicide and pesticide detection techniques and associated remedial techniques. A short summary on occurrence and harmful effects of herbicides/insecticides on ecosystem has been included to the study. The conventional and advanced, rapid techniques for the detection of insecticides and herbicides were described in detail. A detailed overview on several mitigation strategies including advanced oxidation, adsorption, electrochemical process, and bioremediation as well as the mechanism behind the strategic approaches to reduce the effects of growing pesticide pollution has been emphasized. Regardless of the detection techniques and mitigation strategies, the recent advances employed, obstacles, and perspectives have been discussed in detail.

IoT-based system of prevention and control for crop diseases and insect pests

Environmentally friendly technologies for the prevention and control of crop diseases and insect pests are important to reduce the use of chemical pesticides, improve the quality of agricultural products, protect the environment, and promote sustainable development of crop production. On the basis of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, we developed a prevention and control system for crop diseases and insect pests with two main components: a plant protection device (the hardware) and an information management system (the software). To be suitable for both facility- and field-based production scenarios, we incorporated two types of plant protection devices, utilizing ozone sterilization and light-trap technologies. The devices were equipped with various sensors to realize real-time collection and monitoring of data on the crop production environment. The information management system has an IoT-based architecture and includes a mobile device app to enable remote control of the plant protection devices for intelligent management of plant protection data. The system can achieve efficient management of large-scale equipment applications and multi-device collaborative work to prevent and control pests and diseases. The developed system has operated successfully for several years in China and has been applied to cucumber, tomato, rice, and other crops. We demonstrate the effectiveness and practicality of the system in a greenhouse facility and in the field.

Non-thermal technologies for the conservation of açai pulp and derived products: A comprehensive review

Açai (Euterpe oleracea) is one of the main sustainable extractive crops in the Amazon region, widely consumed by the local population and a significant export product. This review presents the current knowledge regarding nonthermal technologies employed in açai processing. This review aims to discuss and compare the main results attained by the application of HPP, ultrasound, ozone, UV light, cold plasma, and pulsed electric field on microbial inactivation, enzymatic inhibition, and the content of anthocyanin and other bioactive compounds after açai pulp processing. The discussion compares these technologies with pasteurization, the current main technology applied to açai sanitization. This review shows that there are still many gaps to be filled concerning açai processing in thermal and non-thermal technologies. Data analysis allowed the conclusion that pasteurization and HPP are, up to now, the only technologies that enable a 5-log CFU reduction of yeasts, molds, and some bacteria in açai. However, no study has reported the inactivation of Trypanosoma cruzi, which is the major gap found in current knowledge. Other technologies, such as pulsed electric field, cold plasma, and ultrasound, require further development and process intensification studies to be as successful as HPP and pasteurization.

A high adhesion co-assembly based on myclobutanil and tannic acid for sustainable plant disease management

BACKGROUND

Pesticides are irreplaceable inputs for protecting crops from pests and improving crop yield and quality. Self-assembly nanotechnology is a promising strategy by which to develop novel nano-formulations for pesticides. Nano-formulations improve the effective utilization of pesticides and reduce risks to the environment because of their eco-friendly preparation, high drug loading, and desirable physicochemical properties. Here, to enhance the utilization efficiency of myclobutanil (MYC) and develop a novel nano-formulation, carrier-free co-assembled nanoparticles (MT NPs) based on MYC and tannic acid (TA) were prepared by noncovalent molecular interactions using a green preparation process without any additives.

RESULTS

The results showed that the prepared spherical nanoparticles had good stability in neutral and acidic aqueous solutions, low surface tension (40.53 mN m-1 ), high rainfastness, and good maximum retention values on plant leaves. Release of active ingredients from MT NPs could be regulated by altering the molar ratio of subassemblies in the co-assembly and the pH of the environment. Antifungal experiments demonstrated that MT NPs had better activities against Alternaria alternata and Fusarium graminearum [half-maximal effective concentration (EC50 ) = 6.40 and 77.08 mg/L] compared with free MYC (EC50  = 11.46 and 124.82 mg/L), TA (EC50  = 251.19 and 503.81 mg/L), and an MYC + TA mixture (EC50  = 9.62 and 136.21 mg/L). These results suggested that MYC and TA incorporated in the co-assembled nanoparticles had a synergistic antifungal activity. The results of a genotoxicity assessment indicated that MT NPs could reduce the genotoxicity of MYC to plant cells.

CONCLUSION

Co-assembled MT NPs with synergistic antifungal activity have outstanding potential for the management of plant diseases. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of ozone treatment on microbial and quality alteration of onions during 2 months storage

Storing and preserving onion using pesticides is common in Brebes District. The study determined the use of ozone to reduce microorganisms and to maintain the onion quality during months of post-harvesting. There were three chambers with 2.5 m3 in size, and with a capacity of 20 kg onion used for this study. Each chamber received different treatment for 2 months; chamber I: no treatment; chamber II: pesticide; chamber III: ozone. The ozone treatment maintained better temperature and humidity for preservation. Ozone treatment was also observed to maintain low level of mass damage (1.8%) as compared to control and pesticide (6.5% and 2.4%). The protein, ash, fat and vit B1 of onions were remained high in ozone-treated chamber. Total Plate Count (CFU/mL) and the Mold Yeast Count (colonies/mL) decreased on day 30 and 60 after pesticides and ozone treatment. This study showed the importance of ozone treatment to maintain better quality of onion after months of storage as compared to pesticide treatment. Therefore, ozone can be a potential use to replace the pesticide for preservation at post-harvesting.

Impact of emerging food processing technologies on structural and functional modification of proteins in plant-based meat alternatives: An updated review

In the past decade, the plant-based meat alternative industry has grown rapidly due to consumers' demand for environmental-friendly, nutritious, sustainable and humane choices. Consumers are not only concerned about the positive relationship between food consumption and health, they are also keen on the environmental sustainability. With such increased consumers' demand for meat alternatives, there is an urgent need for identification and modification of protein sources to imitate the functionality, textural, organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of traditional meat products. However, the plant proteins are not readily digestible and require more functionalization and modification are required. Proteins has to be modified to achieve high quality attributes such as solubility, gelling, emulsifying and foaming properties to make them more palatable and digestible. The protein source from the plant source in order to achieve the claims which needs more high protein digestibility and amino acid bioavailability. In order to achieve these newer emerging non-thermal technologies which can operate under mild temperature conditions can reach a balance between feasibility and reduced environmental impact maintaining the nutritional attributes and functional attributes of the proteins. This review article has discussed the mechanism of protein modification and advancements in the application of non-thermal technologies such as high pressure processing and pulsed electric field and emerging oxidation technologies (ultrasound, cold plasma, and ozone) on the structural modification of plant-based meat alternatives to improve, the techno-functional properties and palatability for successful food product development applications.

Inactivating Salmonella Enteritidis on shell eggs by using ozone microbubble water

The major pathogen associated with eggs is Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) and chlorine washing is the most widely used for sanitization. Microbubble, a novel technique and able to operate in large quantity, has been presented to be an alternative method. Thus, microbubble water combining with ozone (OMB) was applied to disinfect S. Enteritidis spiked on shells at 10⁷ cells per egg. OMB was generated by injecting ozone into a Nikuni microbubble system, then delivered into 10 L of water. After 5, 10, or 20 min of activation time, the eggs were placed into OMB and washed for 30 or 60 s. The controls involved unwashed, water washing, ozone only, and microbubble only (MB). The highest reduction, 5.19 log CFU/egg, was achieved by the combination of 20-min activation and 60-s washing, which was used for following tests of large water quantities. Comparing with the unwashed control, 4.32, 3.73 and 3.07 log CFU/egg reductions were achieved in 25, 80, and 100 L of water, respectively. The other system, Calpeda, with higher motor power was tested in 100 L and obtained a reduction of 4.15 log CFU/egg. The average diameter of bubbles generated by Nikuni and Calpeda pump systems were 29.05 and 36.50 μm, respectively, which both were within the microbubble definition of ISO. Much lower reductions, around 1-2 log₁₀ CFU/egg, were shown with the treatments of ozone only and MB by the same operative parameters. After 15-day storage at ambient temperature, the OMB-treated eggs showed similar sensory quality with the unwashed ones. This is the first study demonstrating that OMB effectively inactivates S. Enteritidis on shell eggs in large quantity of water and does not diminished the sensory characteristics of eggs. Furthermore, bacterial population was under the detection limit in the OMB-treated water.

The journey of prochloraz pesticide in Citrus sinensis: Residual distribution, impact on transcriptomic profiling and reduction by plasma-activated water

Prochloraz (PTIC) is a hazardous fungicide used worldwide on agricultural produce despite concerns about potential impacts on human health and environmental pollution. The residue of PTIC and its metabolite 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) in fresh produce has largely not been clarified. Herein, we address this research gap by examining residues of PTIC and 2,4,6-TCP in fruit of Citrus sinensis through a typical storage period. PTIC residue in the exocarp and mesocarp peaked on days 7 and 14, respectively, while 2,4,6-TCP residue gradually increased throughout storage period. Based upon gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and RNA-sequencing analysis, we reported the potential impact of residual PTIC on endogenous terpene production, and identified 11 DEGs encoding enzymes involved in terpene biosynthesis in Citrus sinensis. Additionally, we investigated both the reduction efficacy (max: 58.93%) of plasma-activated water in citrus exocarp and the minimal impact on quality attributes of citrus mesocarp. The present study not only sheds light on the residual distribution of PTIC and its impact on endogenous metabolism in Citrus sinensis, but also further provides theoretical basis for potential approaches for efficiently reducing or eliminating pesticide residues.

Photochemical advanced oxidative process treatment effect on the pesticide residues reduction and quality changes in dried red peppers

Pesticide residues in crops are widely monitored, and the residue reduction techniques at the post-harvest stage are important to maintain food safety. In dried crops, pesticide residues can be concentrated after dehydration, which increases concerns regarding residue risk. Therefore, the residue reduction effects of ultraviolet (UV), ozone, and photochemical advanced oxidative process (pAOP) were investigated for dried peppers at the post-harvest stage. UV₂₅₄ treatment reduced 59.7% of the residue concentration on average, while UV₃₆₀ showed a reduction of only 13.3% under 9.6 W m^-2 of UV exposure for 24 h. Gaseous ozone treatments reduced the residue concentrations up to 57.9% on average. In contrast, the pAOP treatment reduced the concentration up to 97% and was superior to UV or ozone treatment alone. Increased drying temperature under pAOP condition resulted in higher reduction ratios at 40-80 °C. The pAOP conditions with 12 and 24 µmol/mol of ozone and UV₂₅₄ irradiation for 24-48 h reduced the residue concentrations to 39-67%. Particularly, difenoconazole, fludioxonil, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam residue concentrations were drastically reduced by over 50% under 12 µmol/mol ozone of the pAOP condition, while carbendazim, fluquinconazole, and pyrimethanil were relatively stable and their concentrations reduced below 50% under 24 µmol/mol ozone of the pAOP treatment. Various drying-related quality parameters of drying peppers such as water-soluble color, capsanthin, capsaicinoids, acid value, peroxide value, and thiobarbituric acid value were slightly altered, but not significantly, under 12 µmol/mol ozone of the pAOP condition, while the peroxide value was significantly altered under the higher ozone conditions. Therefore, pAOP treatment combined with gaseous ozone can be used for reducing residual pesticides in peppers without greatly reducing quality.

Recent innovations and emerging technological advances used to improve quality and process of plant-based milk analogs

The worldwide challenges related to food sustainability are presently more critical than ever before due to the severe consequences of climate change, outbreak of epidemics, and wars. Many consumers are shifting their dietary habits toward consuming more plant-based foods, such as plant milk analogs (PMA) for health, sustainability, and well-being reasons. The PMA market is anticipated to reach US$38 billion within 2024, making them the largest segment in plant-based foods. Nevertheless, using plant matrices to produce PMA has numerous limitations, including, among others, low stability and short shelf life. This review addresses the main obstacles facing quality and safety of PMA formula. Moreover, this literature overview discusses the emerging approaches, e.g., pulsed electric field (PEF), cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), ultrasound (US), ultra-high-pressure homogenization (UHPH), ultraviolet C (UVC) irradiation, ozone (O3), and hurdle technology used in PMA formulations to overcome their common challenges. These emerging technologies have a vast potential at the lab scale to improve physicochemical characteristics, increase stability and extend the shelf-life, decrease food additives, increase nutritional and organoleptic qualities of the end product. Although the PMA fabrication on a large scale using these technologies can be expected in the near future to formulate novel food products that can offer green alternatives to conventional dairy products, further development is still needed for wider commercial applications.

Applications of water activated by ozone, electrolysis, or gas plasma for microbial decontamination of raw and processed meat

A raw or processed meat product can be a breeding ground for spoilage bacteria (Enterobacteriaceae, Lactobacillus spp., Pseudomonas spp., etc.). Failure of decontamination results in food quality loss and foodborne illnesses caused by pathogens such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes. Often, meat processors decontaminate the carcass using cheap chemicals or artificial antimicrobial agents not listed on the ingredient list, which is discouraged by health-conscious consumers. Foods with clean labels became more popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led consumers to choose healthier ingredients. Novel methods of controlling or improving meat safety are constantly being discovered. This review focuses on novel means of electrochemically activate water that is being investigated as a sanitizing agent for carcasses and processing area decontamination during production or at the end. Water can be activated by using non-thermal techniques such as ozonation, electrolysis, and cold plasma technologies. Recent studies showed that these activated liquids are powerful tools for reducing microbial activity in raw and processed meat. For instance, plasma-activated water can be used to enhance microbiological safety and avoid the negative effects of direct gaseous plasma on the organoleptic aspects of food products. In addition, electrolyzed water technology offers hurdle enhancement by combining with non-thermal strategies that have great potential. Ozonation is another way of activating water which provides a very convenient way to control microbiological safety and finds several recent applications as aqueous ozone for meat decontamination. These solutions are highly reactive and convenient for non-conventional applications in the meat industry related to food safety because of their antimicrobial or antiviral impact. The present review highlights the efficacy of activated-water decontamination of raw and processed meat via non-thermal solutions.

Simultaneous detection of four pesticides in agricultural products by a modified QuEChERS method and LC-MS/MS

A modified QuEChERS pretreatment method and LC-MS/MS technique were performed to simultaneously determine four pesticide (Hexachlorophene, Dinex, Dinosam, Dinoterb) residues in agricultural products. Through the optimization of LC-MS/MS detection parameters in SIM mode, the optimal instrument conditions are obtained. The modified QuEChERS method was used to pretreat the samples. Solid phase extractants PSA, C18 and GCB were used for sample purification. The research results showed that the correlation coefficients of the four pesticides were all greater than 0.991, which had a good linear relationship. The limits of quantitation (LOQ) of the four pesticides were 0.05-0.56 μg/kg. The recoveries were 70.51-113.20% with relative standard deviations (RSDS) of 1.6-11.2%. The developed method can provide reliable data support for the subsequent simultaneous detection of these four pesticides.

Distribution pattern, removal effect, transfer behavior of ten pesticides and one metabolite during the processing of grapes

Grapes' growth and processing conditions have various effects on pesticides with different physicochemical properties. Therefore, it is important for the healthy human diet to investigate pesticide residue behavior. To explore the relationship between pesticide residue behavior and physicochemical properties, the distribution of ten pesticides and one metabolite on grape peel and pulp was examined and the results showed that pesticides with low octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow) were more likely to be transferred to the pulp as the harvest interval increases. The removal methods were ranked according to pesticide removal effectiveness as follows: peeling > ozone water washing > tap water washing. Furthermore, the logKow played a key role in pesticide transfer rates during the juicing and winemaking. Notably, drying was the process of increasing pesticide residues. Additionally, the prediction models for the PFs of the pesticides in the juicing and winemaking processes were constructed as PFj = 0.952-0.116logKow (r = 0.886) and PFw = 0.736-0.143logKow (r = 0.959) by stepwise regression analysis. The prediction models recommended that Kow could be used to predict pesticide residues in grape juice and wine, which can predict the effect of pesticide physicochemical properties on PFs.

Automatic detection of pesticide residues on the surface of lettuce leaves using images of feature wavelengths spectrum

The inappropriate application of pesticides to vegetable crops often results in environmental pollution, which seriously impacts the environment and human health. Given that current methods of pesticide residue detection are associated with issues such as low accuracy, high equipment cost, and complex flow, this study puts forward a new method for detecting pesticide residues on lettuce leaves. To establish this method, spectral analysis was used to determine the characteristic wavelength of pesticide residues (709 nm), machine vision equipment was improved, and a bandpass filter and light source of characteristic wavelength were installed to acquire leaf image information. Next, image preprocessing and feature information extraction were automatically implemented through programming. Several links were established for the training model so that the required feature information could be automatically extracted after the batch input of images. The pesticide residue detected using the chemical method was taken as the output and modeled, together with the input image information, using the convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithm. Furthermore, a prediction program was rewritten to generalize the input images during the prediction process and directly obtain the output pesticide residue. The experimental results revealed that when the detection device and method designed in this study were used to detect pesticide residues on lettuce leaves in a key state laboratory, the coefficient of determination of the equation reached 0.883, and the root mean square error (RMSE) was 0.134 mg/L, indicating high accuracy and that the proposed method integrated the advantages of spectrum detection and deep learning. According to comparison testing, the proposed method can meet Chinese national standards in terms of accuracy. Moreover, the improved machine vision equipment was less expensive, thus providing powerful support for the application and popularization of the proposed method.

A pilot lab trial for enhanced oxidative transformation of procymidone fungicide and its aniline metabolite using heterogeneous MnO2 catalysts

In this study, the feasibility of two heterogeneous catalysis (non-Fenton heterogeneous catalysis and catalytic ozonation) was evaluated for the oxidative transformation of the fungicide procymidone and its major metabolite (3,5-dichloroaniline; 3,5-DCA) under a pilot lab experiment. Among the studied treatments, only H₂O₂ or O₃ significantly oxidized procymidone and 3,5-DCA. However, heterogeneous catalysis used with various types of MnO₂ catalysts was found to be an effective rapid strategy for transformation of procymidone and its aniline metabolite. Among the studied catalysts, δ-MnO₂ performed well in the enhanced oxidative transformation of procymidone and 3,5-DCA in MnO₂-mediator system assay. The optimal reaction parameters, such as reaction pH, and initial catalyst concentration were comparatively evaluated. However, heterogeneous catalysis and catalytic ozonation were revealed as the rapid strategy for oxidative transformation of investigated procymidone and 3,5-DCA as compared to single oxidation by peroxide/ozone. Finally, as a novel insight of this investigation, a postulated reaction mechanism underlying the accelerated transformation of aniline metabolites via heterogeneous catalysis was explored. The findings of this study will open new avenues for evaluating heterogeneous catalysis during oxidative transformation of non-phenolic pollutants in both lab trial and field applications. This study can be expanded for use in actual field settings, using environmental samples from contaminated areas exposed to non-phenolic pesticides and their metabolites.

Effect of ultrasound assisted cleaning on pesticide removal and quality characteristics of Vitis vinifera leaves

In this study, the pesticide (acetamiprid, deltamethrin, and pyridaben) removal and physicochemical quality improvement of vine (Vitis vinifera) leaf were examined using ultrasonic and traditional cleaning for 5, 10, and 15 min. After an ultrasonic cleaning procedure at 37 kHz for 10 min, acetamiprid, deltamethrin, and pyridaben in vine leaf were reduced by 54.76, 58.22, and 54.55 %, respectively. Furthermore, the total phenolic content (TPC) in vine leaf increased to 13.45 mg GAE/g DW compared to that in control samples using traditional cleaning (10.37 mg GAE/g DW), but there were no significant differences in DPPH radical scavenging activity. After 15 min of conventional cleaning, the total chlorophyll and total carotenoid content of leaves were found to be lowest among all samples, at 6.52 mg/kg and 0.48 mg/kg, respectively. In conclusion, when compared to conventional cleaning methods, ultrasonic cleaning with no chemicals or heat treatment has proven to be a successful and environmentally friendly application in reducing commonly used pesticides and improving the physicochemical qualities of leaves.

Degradation of malathion and carbosulfan by ozone water and analysis of their by-products

BACKGROUND

Treatment by ozone water is an emerging technology for the degradation of pesticide residues in vegetables. The ozone dissolved in water generates hydroxyl radicals (^· OH), which are highly effective in decomposing organic substances, such as malathion and carbosulfan.

RESULTS

We found that washing pak choi with 2.0 mg L^-1 ozone water for 30 min resulted in 58.3% and 38.2% degradation of the malathion and carbosulfan contents respectively, and the degradation rates of these pure pesticides were 83.0% and 66.3% respectively. In addition, the 'first + first'-order reaction kinetic model was found to predict the trend in the pesticide content during ozone water treatment. Based on investigations by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with the structures of the pesticides, the by-products generated were identified. More specifically, the ozonation-based degradation of carbosulfan generated carbofuran and benzofuranol, whereas malathion produced succinic acid and phosphoric acid. Although some new harmful compounds were formed during degradation of the parent pesticides, these were only present in trace quantities and were transient intermediates that eventually disappeared during the reaction.

CONCLUSION

Our results, therefore, indicate that ozone water treatment technology for pesticide residue degradation is worthy of popularization and application. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Evaluation of Ozonation Technique for Pesticide Residue Removal in Okra and Green Chili Using GC-ECD and LC-MS/MS

The indiscriminate use of pesticides in agricultural commodities has become a global health concern. Various household methods are employed to remove pesticide residues from agricultural commodities, e.g., water and ozone. Many ozone-based commercial pesticide removal machines are available in the market for the general public. The current study compares the pesticide removal efficiency of ozone-based washing of fruits and vegetables to simple tap water through commercially available machines and its health risk assessment to different age groups of consumers. The okra and green chili fruits were treated with acetamiprid and ethion as foliar application at the fruiting stage, using the recommended dose (RD) and double to the recommended dose (2RD), respectively. A modified QuEChERS-based pesticide extraction method was verified for its accuracy, precision, linearity, and sensitivity. The treated samples were washed with tap and ozonated water at different intervals, i.e., 3, 8, and 10 min using a commercial food purifier. Washing with ozonized water for 3 min recorded the maximum removal of acetamiprid and ethion from okra and chili fruits. Further, the risk quotient values (RQ) obtained were lower than one at both doses. Thus, washing vegetables with ozonized water for 3 min ensures vegetables are safer for general consumption without any health risk to Indian consumers.

Insights of microbial community evolution under benzisothiazolinone exposure in different soil environments

Benzisothiazolinones (1, 2-benzisothiazoline-3-one; BIT) is widely used to control bacterial and fungal diseases of various crops, and their residues in soil may play an important role in the interaction between soil microorganisms. We studied microbial remediation in five representative soils under different soil conditions (unsterilized, sterilized and flooded) using 16S rRNA gene sequencing to investigate the effect of microorganisms on the degradation of BIT residues in soils to minimize the potentially toxic effects of BIT. High-throughput sequencing data showed that the structure and abundance of bacterial communities in BIT soils changed greatly, which might affect their degradation pathways, while Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) results showed that there was no significant difference in the fungal community in different treatments of the five soils, but the degradation rate of BIT was more influenced by anaerobic microorganisms. Furthermore, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria were the predominant bacterial phyla, accounting for 93.74% of all OTUs, which played an important role in the degradation of BIT. Lysinibacillus had a high relative abundance (21.10%) under flooded treatment conditions in Jilin soil, and its bioremediation may be a reason for the rapid degradation of BIT in flooded treatment. Besides, only soil organic matter (SOM) and pH among the soil properties had significant effects on the microbial community. Based on the further analysis of bacterial phenotype, some microorganisms related to the biodegradation of BIT were found, mainly belonging to Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. This study provides a useful theoretical basis for the biodegradation of BIT using isolated microorganisms.

Influence of ozone treatment on functional and rheological characteristics of food products: an updated review

In this milieu, ozone technology has emerged as an avant-garde non-thermal mode of disinfection with potential applications in the food industry. This eco-friendly technology has a comprehendible adeptness in replacing alternative chemical sanitizers and is recognized as a generally safe disinfectant for fruits and vegetables. Several researchers have been focusing on the biochemical impacts of ozone on different quantitative and qualitative aspects of fruits and vegetables. A collection of those works is presented in this review highlighting the effect of ozone on the functional, antioxidant, and rheological properties of food. This can be a benevolent tool for discovering the processing states of ozone applications and ensuing influence on safety and quality attributes of previously studied foods and opening further research areas. It extends shelf life and never leaves any harmful residues on the product since it decomposes to form oxygen. It was seen that the impact on a specific property of food was dependent on the ozone concentration and treatment time, and the adverse effects of ozone exposure can be alleviated once the processing conditions are optimized. The present review can be used as a baseline for designing different food processing operations involving ozone.

Adsorption and Photocatalytic Degradation of Pesticides into Nanocomposites: A Review

The extensive use of pesticides in agriculture has significantly impacted the environment and human health, as these pollutants are inadequately disposed of into water bodies. In addition, pesticides can cause adverse effects on humans and aquatic animals due to their incomplete removal from the aqueous medium by conventional wastewater treatments. Therefore, processes such as heterogeneous photocatalysis and adsorption by nanocomposites have received special attention in the scientific community due to their unique properties and ability to degrade and remove several organic pollutants, including pesticides. This report reviews the use of nanocomposites in pesticide adsorption and photocatalytic degradation from aqueous solutions. A bibliographic search was performed using the ScienceDirect, American Chemical Society (ACS), and Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) indexes, using Boolean logic and the following descriptors: "pesticide degradation" AND "photocatalysis" AND "nanocomposites"; "nanocomposites" AND "pesticides" AND "adsorption". The search was limited to research article documents in the last ten years (from January 2012 to June 2022). The results made it possible to verify that the most dangerous pesticides are not the most commonly degraded/removed from wastewater. At the same time, the potential of the supported nanocatalysts and nanoadsorbents in the decontamination of wastewater-containing pesticides is confirmed once they present reduced bandgap energy, which occurs over a wide range of wavelengths. Moreover, due to the great affinity of the supported nanocatalysts with pesticides, better charge separation, high removal, and degradation values are reported for these organic compounds. Thus, the class of the nanocomposites investigated in this work, magnetic or not, can be characterized as suitable nanomaterials with potential and unique properties useful in heterogeneous photocatalysts and the adsorption of pesticides.

Predicting pesticide dissipation half-life intervals in plants with machine learning models

Pesticide dissipation half-life in plants is an important factor to assessing environmental fate of pesticides and establishing pre-harvest intervals critical to good agriculture practices. However, empirically measured pesticide dissipation half-lives are highly variable and the accurate prediction with models is challenging. This study utilized a dataset of pesticide dissipation half-lives containing 1363 datapoints, 311 pesticides, 10 plant types, and 4 plant component classes. Novel dissipation half-life intervals were proposed and predicted to account for high variations in empirical data. Four machine learning models (i.e., gradient boosting regression tree [GBRT], random forest [RF], supporting vector classifier [SVC], and logistic regression [LR]) were developed to predict dissipation half-life intervals using extended connectivity fingerprints (ECFP), temperature, plant type, and plant component class as model inputs. GBRT-ECFP had the best model performance with F1-micro_binary score of 0.698 ± 0.010 for the binary classification compared with other machine learning models (e.g., LR-ECFP, F1-micro_binary= 0.662 ± 0.009). Feature importance analysis of molecular structures in the binary classification identified aromatic rings, carbonyl group, organophosphate, =C-H, and N-containing heterocyclic groups as important substructures related to pesticide dissipation half-lives. This study suggests the utility of machine learning models in assessing the environmental fate of pesticides in agricultural crops.

Microbial Evaluation of Ozone Water Combined with Ultrasound Cleaning on Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)

The effects of ozone water (OW) and ultrasound cleaning (UL) on microbial community diversity of crayfish were studied through microbial viable count and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results showed that compared with the control (CK), the ozone water combined with ultrasound cleaning (OCU) showed a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in total viable count (TVC), psychrophilic viable count (PVC), mesophilic viable count (MVC), Pseudomonas, hydrogen sulfide-producing bacteria (HSPB), molds and yeasts. Concretely, the TVC of the CK, OW, UL and OCU were 5.09, 4.55, 4.32 and 4.06 log CFU/g, respectively. The dominant bacterium in untreated crayfish was Chryseobacterium, and its relative abundance was reduced by combined treatment. Color measurement and sensory evaluation suggested that a satisfactory sensory experience could be obtained on the crayfish applied with OCU. In brief, OCU could be used as a cleaning strategy to control the microbial quality of crayfish and have no influence on its quality.

Emerging Trends for Nonthermal Decontamination of Raw and Processed Meat: Ozonation, High-Hydrostatic Pressure and Cold Plasma

Meat may contain natural, spoilage, and pathogenic microorganisms based on the origin and characteristics of its dietary matrix. Several decontamination substances are used during or after meat processing, which include chlorine, organic acids, inorganic phosphates, benzoates, propionates, bacteriocins, or oxidizers. Unfortunately, traditional decontamination methods are often problematic because of their adverse impact on the quality of the raw carcass or processed meat. The extended shelf-life of foods is a response to the pandemic trend, whereby consumers are more likely to choose durable products that can be stored for a longer period between visits to food stores. This includes changing purchasing habits from “just in time” products “for now” to “just in case” products, a trend that will not fade away with the end of the pandemic. To address these concerns, novel carcass-decontamination technologies, such as ozone, high-pressure processing and cold atmospheric plasma, together with active and clean label ingredients, have been investigated for their potential applications in the meat industry. Processing parameters, such as exposure time and processing intensity have been evaluated for each type of matrix to achieve the maximum reduction of spoilage microorganism counts without affecting the physicochemical, organoleptic, and functional characteristics of the meat products. Furthermore, combined impact (hurdle concept) was evaluated to enhance the understanding of decontamination efficiency without undesirable changes in the meat products. Most of these technologies are beneficial as they are cost-effective, chemical-free, eco-friendly, easy to use, and can treat foods in sealed packages, preventing the product from post-process contamination. Interestingly, their synergistic combination with other hurdle approaches can help to substitute the use of chemical food preservatives, which is an aspect that is currently quite desirable in the majority of consumers. Nonetheless, some of these techniques are difficult to store, requiring a large capital investment for their installation, while a lack of certification for industrial utilization is also problematic. In addition, most of them suffer from a lack of sufficient data regarding their mode of action for inactivating microorganisms and extending shelf-life stability, necessitating a need for further research in this area.

Reduction of pesticide residues in Chrysanthemum morifolium by nonthermal plasma-activated water and impact on its quality

This study investigated the efficiency of plasma-activated water (PAW) on the reduction of pesticides, namely, metribuzin and metobromuron, and the effect of PAW treatment on the quality of fresh chrysanthemums. The reduction efficiencies reached 74.3% for metribuzin and 38.2% for metobromuron after 240 s of PAW treatment. Compared with reverse osmosis (RO) water, PAW achieved significantly higher pesticide reductions because of its higher acidity, enhanced oxidizing ability, and increased formation of reactive species. Moreover, when compared with metobromuron, metribuzin was reduced more efficiently irrespective of the RO water or PAW treatments because of its higher water solubility, lower log octanol-water partition coefficient, and more oxidizable chemical structure. Additionally, the PAW treatment did not cause adverse changes to the chrysanthemums' color, total flavonoid content, radical scavenging, or metal chelating activities, but it did cause a slight decrease in the chrysanthemums' aroma compounds and total reducing power. This study successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of PAW for reducing pesticides in herbal flowers like chrysanthemums and reveals PAW's promising potential to treat foods with non-smooth surfaces.

Ozone in wineries and wine processing: A review of the benefits, application, and perspectives

Ozone (O₃ ) is an emerging eco-friendly technology that has been widely used in the beverage industry due to its broad spectrum of usages, such as fermentation, microbial inactivation, Clean-in-Place (CIP) systems, and postharvest treatment. Wine is among the most financially profitable sectors of the beverage industry. Ozone technology as an alternative approach to conventional methods to inhibit microbes in wine processing and wineries has attracted researchers' attention as this emerging technology will probably play important roles in wineries in the future. This review discusses the prospective applications of ozone in winemaking and wineries and elaborates on ozone's antimicrobial effects on the control of the broad spectrum of microorganisms during wine processing. Also, this paper provides discussions on its effects of O₃  on wine quality and the benefits this emerging technology can bring to wineries. Ozone treatments can improve yeast fermentation by impacting the yeast ecology of postharvested wine grapes, mainly by affecting apiculate yeasts and adjusting the population of undesirable yeasts, such as Brettanomyces spp., during the fermentation process. Furthermore, ozone treatment may enhance wine's anthocyanin concentration, physicochemical properties, color, pH, oxidative stability, and concentration of pleasant volatile compounds and esters. This article presents important information to have a better understanding of the impact of ozone treatment on different stages of wine preparation.

Diazinon reduction in food products: a comprehensive review of conventional and emerging processing methods

Diazinon is known as one of the most commonly used organophosphorus pesticides which influence different pests through inactivating acetyl choline esterase enzymes. Despite diazinon applications, its toxicity to human health could result in a worldwide concern about its occurrence in foodstuffs. Malfunction of brain is considered as the main disorders induced by long time exposure to diazinon. Due to the degradation of diazinon in high temperatures and its susceptibility to oxidation as well as acidic and basic conditions, it could be degraded through several physical (9-94%) and chemical (19.3-100%) food processing procedures (both household and industrial methods). However, each of these methods has its advantages and disadvantages. Normally, the combination of these methods is more efficient in diazinon reduction. To this end, it is important to apply an effective method for diazinon reduction in the food products without affecting food quality or treating human health. It could be noticed that bioremediation by microorganisms such as probiotics could be a promising new method for diazinon's reduction in several food products.

Research trends and emerging physical processing technologies in mitigation of pesticide residues on various food products

The application of pesticides enhances food production vastly, and it cannot be prevented; longer fresh produce is contaminated with health-threatening pesticides even though traditional processing methods can remove these pesticides from food surfaces to a certain extent; novel emerging technologies such as cold plasma, ultrasound, electrolyzed water, and pulsed electric field could more effectively dissipate the pesticide content in food without the release of toxic residual on the food surface. The present review focuses on applying emerging technologies to degrade pesticide residues in great utility in the food processing industries. This review also discusses the pesticide removal efficacy and its mechanism involved in these technologies. The oxidation principle in cold plasma is recently gaining more importance for the degradation of pesticide residue in the food processing industries. Analysis of the emerging physical processing methods indicated greater efficacy in eradicating pesticide residues during agriculture processing. Even though the technologies such as EO (99% reduction in dimethoate), ultrasound (98.96% for chlorpyrifos), and irradiation (99.8% for pesticide in aqueous solution) can achieve promising results in pesticide degradation level, the rate and inactivation highly depend on the type of equipment and processing parameters involved in different techniques, surface characteristics of produce, treatment conditions, and nature of the pesticide. Therefore, to effectively remove these health-threatening pesticides from food surfaces, it is necessary to know the process parameters and efficacy of the applied technology on various pesticides.

Antibacterial Efficacy and Physiochemical Effects of Ozone Microbubble Water on Tomato

The consumption of fresh produce is steadily increasing and chlorine washing is the most commonly used method of disinfecting fresh produce. However, chlorine washing possesses a potential risk. Hence, this study used ozone microbubble (OMB) water to disinfect Salmonella Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli on tomatoes. After injecting ozone into the microbubble generator, OMB was fulfilled in a 10 L tank for 10 or 20 min. The inoculated tomatoes were washed for 30 or 60 s. Control groups included unwashed, water-washed, microbubble-only, and ozone-only. The microbial populations were significantly lower on the OMB-treated tomatoes than controls (p < 0.05), but not between various fulfilling or treatment time (p > 0.05). When tomatoes were treated with OMB with 10 min fulfilling and 30-s washing, the differences of tested bacteria and water washing, ozone-only, and microbubble-only were: S. Enteritidis: 4.11, 3.37, 2.54 log CFU/tomato; S. Typhimurium: 4.83, 4.50, 2.78 log CFU/tomato; E. coli: 4.31, 4.08, 2.09 log CFU/tomato; S. aureus: 4.12, 3.93, 2.82 log CFU/tomato. In addition, significant higher ozone concentrations and conductivity were detected in OMB water than other groups (p < 0.05). Color, texture, and sensory characteristics of the OMB-treated tomatoes were not significantly different from other groups (p > 0.05). This study demonstrated that OMB effectively inactivated bacteria on tomatoes and did not affect the physical and sensory characteristics of tomatoes.

Photolysis for the Removal and Transformation of Pesticide Residues During Food Processing: A State-of-the-Art Minireview

Pesticide residues are of great significant issue that exerted adverse effects on humans. There is a need for effective and non-toxic decontamination of pesticide residues during food processing. In this minireview, the recent advances in the degradation of pesticide residues by photolysis have been firstly described during food processing. The mechanisms of pesticide residues destruction by photolysis were discussed accordingly. Finally, applications of photolysis in the degradation of pesticide residues from beverages, fresh produce, and food rinse waste were also summarized.