MANILA, Philippines – Ultrasonic technology may soon be used to decontaminate pesticide residue and patological microorganisms in fruits and vegetables.

Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) executive director Ricardo Cachuela says his agency has been conducting tests on the technology for at least a year and adds that results were encouraging.

"Our initial tests show that ultrasonic treatment on mangoes can remove the latex from the skin without affecting the color and weight," he revealed.

PhilMech tests also showed that lettuce, bitter gourd (ampalaya) and banana treated with 10 minutes of ultrasonic washing at 40 kilohertz (kHz) removed pesticide residues from the fruits and vegetables without affecting their quality and shelf life.

Even as the results were promising, Cachuela hastened to add that the commercialization of the technology is not expected in the short term.

The PhilMech chief is batting for its eventual use, stressing that the technology will benefit Philippine agriculture in the long haul.

"More and more consumers are giving priority to food safety and this means that over time, the demand for less chemical residues in food that they buy. By using ultrasonic washing, this demand may be satisfied," he explained.

Presently, removing pathogenic microorganisms from vegetables and fruits is done by using chemical solutions or heat technology.

However, the use of chemical solutions to decontaminate vegetables can have serious health implications, with some researchers insisting that ingestion of residues can lead to serious risks in the longterm.