Removal of pesticide residues in food using ozone

Abstract

Food is the main source of energy in the human diet, but the regrettable part is the heavy use of pesticides during their growth which in turn reflects in the final produce in the form of remaining metabolites or residues. Research are being carried out to minimize the number of pesticides residues which remain intact on the food surfaces. Ozone being a strong oxidant has high potential of removal of these residues from food. Ozone not only reduces the impact of pesticides but is also seen to improve the quality and shelf life of foods due to its anti-microbial properties. Being a green non-thermal technology, it has seen wide acceptance by researchers and scientists. However, the processing procedures need to be standardised for different varieties of agricultural produce. Therefore, it is important to track all the challenges faced while using ozone technology and finding solutions for its sustainable use. The objective of this mini-review is to give comprehensive information regarding use of ozone technology in removal of pesticide residues from food.

Keywords

• Pesticide
• Ozone
• Contamination
• Treatment
• Oxidant
• Food