• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.170-177
• /
• 2019

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different concentrations of chlorine dioxide ($ClO_2$) on sterilization and deodorization of food-holding cabinets under different exposure times. For the measuring sterilization and deodorization, a 6.5 L chamber and a 625 L cabinet with circulation systems were used. Two bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus KCTC1916 and Escherichia coli KCTC 1682) that were artificially inoculated in the plate respectively were put into the 6.5 L chamber and the 625 L cabinet. The $ClO_2$ gas was produced by ampules. In the 6.5 L chamber, neither of the two bacteria was detected after 24 hours treatment by $ClO_2$ gas. Moreover, the deodorization rate against ammonia and phenol was 94% and 70%, respectively, but deodorization against formaldehyde was not effective. When the concentration reached maximum (6 ampule, 4.6 ppm) levels in the cabinet, it lasted for approximately 2 h and then decreased slowly. When a circulator was used, the gas concentration was very low (6 ampule, 0.8 ppm) and the antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli was low. The level of reduction against S. aureus and E. coli was 2.98 log CFU/plate and 6.06 log CFU/plate, respectively, in the cabinet after 24 h without a circulator. The reduction against S. aureus KCTC1916 and E. coli KCTC1682 was 2.69 log CFU/plate and 4.41 log CFU/plate for 24 h, respectively.