Click on “Download PDF” for the PDF version or on the title for the HTML version.

If you are not an ASABE member or if your employer has not arranged for access to the full-text, Click here for options.

Alternative and economical methods for reducing the bacterial load on cider apples are needed by small cider producers to comply with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations for food safety. In 1996, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that several illnesses and one death were attributed to Escherichia coli O157:H7 contaminated apple cider. Currently the only option available for cider producers to avoid an FDA required warning label on their product is pasteurization. The equipment needed for pasteurization can be expensive and is limited to liquids only. Ozone (O 3 ) is a potent disinfectant that shows great potential for food sanitizing applications. This article summarizes the design and construction of a benchtop prototype chamber and related components for the treatment of whole cider apples with ozonated washwater prior to grinding and pressing for cider. Preliminary performance data on residual ozone concentrations produced in the washwater are also presented. A maximum residual dissolved concentration of 34 ppm was achieved over a 0.5 to 1.5 min contact time per apple.