Paper Title
Application of Peracetic Acid Vapor in Controlling Fungal and Bacterial Growth on Fruits and Vegetables

Abstract
Loss of fruits and vegetables (F&V) through fungal and bacterial diseases post-harvest is of great economic concern and costs farmers billions of USD/year within the United States. Furthermore, with increasing resistance to antifungal and chemical agents on the rise as well as their potential for their long-term side effects on human health, alternatives, and environmentally safer strategies to control post-harvest pathogens are of great exigency. Hence, the application of peracetic acid vapor (vPAA) for the enhanced control of post-harvest bacterial and fungal spread was employed. Post-harvest tests utilizing vPAA in a lab-scale treatment chamber resulted in a significant reduction in fruit and vegetable fungal and bacterial burden. Our results demonstrate that the application of vPAA on non-porous surfaces such as stainless-steel and glass carriers consisting of about 104-107 CFU/carrier can completely inhibit the growth of three well-known potato soft-rot pathogens. Furthermore, the application of vPAA could significantly inhibit or completely eradicate the growth and spread of fungi and bacteria on infected surfaces of fruit and vegetable such as tomato, potato, apple, and blueberry consisting of about 105-106 CFU/inoculation spot. Organoleptic properties of F&Vs can be well conserved under vPAA operating conditions. Such findings are promising and convincing for the application of vPAA for expanding fruit and vegetable shelf-life post-harvest during transportation and storage as well as in the prevention of foodborne diseases. Keywords - Fruits & Vegetables, Listeria monocytogens, Peracetic acid vapor, Pythium ultimum, Ramichloridium punctatum.