Abstract: In this investigation, the internalization and colonization capacity of Salmonella typhimurium ATCC14028 in artificially contaminated mung bean sprouts during different germination stages was studied. Furthermore, two different disinfection methods of ultraviolet irradiation and chemical disinfectant treatment were developed to eliminate internalized Salmonella typhimurium effectively. During four different stages (0?48 h) of pre-germination of mung bean namely expansion (G1, 0 h), budding (G2, 0?12 h), early germination (G3, 12?24 h) and germination (G4, 24?48 h), Salmonella typhimurium had different internalization and colonization capacities at different inoculation concentrations (102, 104, 106 and 108 CFU/mL), which, however, tended to be identical at the end of the growth cycle (about 144 h). In addition, our results showed that ultraviolet radiation could effectively eliminate internalized Salmonella typhimurium while dipping in a mixed solution of sodium hypochlorite and silver nitrate solution had no such effect.

Key words: mung bean sprout, Salmonella typhimurium, internalization, disinfection treatment