Investigation of The Antimicrobial Effect of Vinegar on Certain Salad Vegetables

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial efficacy of vinegar/water solution against Escherichia coli ATCC 25933 strain added to a mixture of lettuce, parsley, and dill, and to evaluate its effectiveness in terms of food safety. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted using lettuce, parsley, and dill samples. The vegetables were disinfected using UV light, followed by inoculation with E. coli ATCC 25933 culture. A washing procedure with a vinegar/ water solution was applied for 10 minutes, and microbiological analyses were performed. Results: Microbiological analyses revealed a decrease of 0.87 log CFU/g in total bacterial count and a 1.15 log CFU/g reduction in E. coli count after vinegar solution application (p