4. Conclusion
The HP enhances the effectiveness of disinfectant agents to
inactivate natural microbial populations in mung bean sprouts
and, possibly, pathogens if any. The pressurisation at 250 MPa of
mung bean seeds treated with hypochlorite (18000 ppm) or carvacrol
(1500 ppm) led to a significant inactivation of all natural
microbial populations (>5 log units) in sprouts. Although the combination
of disinfectant agents and HP treatment that conducted to
the largest microbial inactivation brought about a significant
reduction in germination ratio, these germination percentages
were high enough (80% and 60% for hypochlorite + HP and carvacrol
+ HP, respectively) to be feasible for sprout industrial production.
These combined treatments can be considered a preservative
goal for mung bean sprout development.