BACTERIAL CONTROL OF CUCUMBERS BY SODIUM-HYPOCHLORITE

Cucumber (Cucumins sativus LINN.) was treated with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) under various conditions (pH4 similar to 10, effective chlorine 25 similar to 200 ppm, and 10 similar to 40 degrees C). The effect of NaOCl on microorganisms of cucumber increased by adjusting the pH to 4 similar to 6. The effect increased according the concentration of available chlorine up to 100 ppm. No remarkable effect was observed above 100 ppm. As the effect was greater under high temperature, the time was shortened under high temperature. By the optimum condition (100 ppm, pH 6.0, 20 degrees C, 30 min), the microbial numbers of cucumber could be reduced to a hundredth of the initial (10(5) similar to 10(6)/g).