Investigating the Efficiency of Different Steps of the Most Common Method for Disinfecting Vegetables to Reduce the Microbial Population

Background & objectives: Considering the importance of sanitizing vegetables before consumption, this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of different stages of the most common vegetable disinfection methods in Iran in reducing total coliform and fecal coliform for the most consumed edible vegetables. Methods: Three stages of disinfection were done, including - Scraping and pre-wash of vegetables (first step), - Separation of parasites by 3-5 droplets of detergent per liter for 5 minutes (second step), and - Disinfection of vegetables with calcium hypochlorite solution (200 mg/l free chlorine) for 5 min (third step).