This study investigated the antimicrobial activities of organic acid vapors against a phytopathogen (Acidovorax citrulli) and foodborne pathogens (Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes) on the surface of Cucurbitaceae seeds. Germination percentages of cucumber, honeydew melon and watermelon seeds treated with acetic and propionic acid vapors (100 mg/L) at 50 °C and 43% or 85% relative humidity (RH) for up to 2 h did not significantly (P > 0.05) decrease. Treatment with formic acid significantly (P ≤ 0.05) decreased the germination percentage. The antimicrobial activities of acetic and propionic acid vapors (100 mg/L; 50 °C; 43% or 85% RH) were determined. A. citrulli was inactivated within 1 h on cucumber and watermelon seeds, regardless of type of organic acid or RH. The phytopathogen was reduced to levels below the detection limit (−0.5 log CFU/g) for enrichment on honeydew melon seeds treated with acetic acid vapor. S. enterica and L. monocytogenes were inactivated within 2 h at 85% RH on honeydew melon and watermelon seeds treated with acetic acid and propionic acid vapors. E. coli O157: H7 was inactivated by treatment with acetic acid vapor at 85% RH. This study provides useful information for developing a method to decontaminate Curcurbitaceae seeds using organic acid vapors as lethal agents.

这项研究调查了有机酸蒸气对葫芦科种子表面上的植物病原体（Acidovorax citrulli）和食源性病原体（小肠沙门氏菌，大肠杆菌O157：H7和单核细胞增生李斯特菌）的抗菌活性。在50°C和43％或85％相对湿度（RH）下长达2 h的乙酸和丙酸蒸汽（100 mg / L）处理的黄瓜，蜜瓜和西瓜种子的发芽率没有显着差异（P  > 0.05 ）减少。用甲酸显著（处理P  ≤0.05）降低了发芽率。测定了乙酸和丙酸蒸气（100 mg / L； 50°C； 43％或85％RH）的抗微生物活性。无论有机酸或RH的类型如何，黄瓜和西瓜种子均会在1小时内灭活citrulli。将植物病原菌降低至检测限以下（-0.5 log CFU / g）以富集用乙酸蒸气处理的蜜瓜种子。在经过乙酸和丙酸蒸气处理的哈密瓜和西瓜种子上，于85％相对湿度下于2小时内灭活小肠链球菌和单核细胞增生李斯特菌。大肠杆菌O157：H7通过在85％RH下用乙酸蒸气处理而失活。这项研究为开发使用有机酸蒸气作为致死剂净化葫芦科种子的方法提供了有用的信息。