Influence of Plant Leaf Moisture Content on Retention of Electrostatic-Induced Droplets

Agricultural electrostatic spraying can help to reduce the threat of pesticides to human health and the environment. However, the influence of the law of leaf water content on electrostatic spraying has not been studied. In this study, we used leaf water content as an evaluation index of electrostatic spraying technology and verified the correlation between leaf water content and leaf capacitance value by statistical methods in order to achieve in vivo measurements of leaf water content in relation to tomato, pepper, and wheat crop leaves. Using these in vivo measurements of leaf water content and retention, we demonstrate that the retention of electrostatic droplets on the leaves of all three crops increases with increasing water content; the retention per unit area of leaves increased by 6.1 mg/cm2, an increase of 7.29%. Increasing the electrostatic spray voltage (10~30 kV) enhances the retention of droplets on the leaves of the crops, with a maximum increase of 6.1. The retention of non-electrostatic droplets decreases with increasing water content; retention at the lowest water content was 1.103~1.131 times greater than at the highest water content. This study has implications for research related to improving the retention of electrostatic droplets in leaves.

Efficacy and Quality Attributes of Antimicrobial Agents Application via a Commercial Electrostatic Spray Cabinet to Inactivate Salmonella on Chicken Thigh Meat

Salmonella is a foodborne pathogen associated with poultry meat. This study aimed to determine the efficiency and quality attributes of two antimicrobial agents to reduce Salmonella on raw chicken meat when applied individually and in combination using an electrostatic spray cabinet. Five logs CFU/g of non-pathogenic, rifampicin-resistant Salmonella Typhimurium were inoculated on skin less, bone less, raw chicken thigh meat and passed through an electrostatic spray cabinet while being sprayed with 5% lauric arginate (LAE), and 100, 1000, 1500, 1750 ppm of peracetic acid (PAA). Spraying of 5% LAE for 45 s, significantly reduced Salmonella by 5 logs (p<0.05). The 1500 ppm of PAA reduced Salmonella significantly within 45 s (1.157 logs). Spraying of 1500 ppm PAA followed by LAE within 15 s reduced Salmonella significantly more than vice versa (p<0.05). The color, water holding capacity, and texture did not differ significantly, but resulted in a significantly strong aroma and flavor. Both LAE and PAA efficiently reduced Salmonella when applied in an electrostatic spray cabinet on raw chicken thigh meat. The results suggest that the sequential order of application of antimicrobial agents is important to improve the safety and quality of raw chicken thigh meat.