Ozone and Food Processing

Use ozone to disinfect stored food for unprecedented pathogen destruction. Turnkey systems allow easy ozone integration.

Ozone Advantages

• the most powerful oxidizer available
• environmentally friendly
• no chemical storage required
• three-thousand times more germicidal than chlorine
• instant pathogen destruction
• no harmful chemical residual

Ozone in the Food Industry Because ozone is a safe, powerful disinfectant, it can be used to control biological growth of unwanted organisms in products and equipment used in the food processing industries. Ozone is particularly suited to the food industry because of its ability to disinfect microorganisms without adding chemical by-products to the food being treated, or to the food processing water or atmosphere in which food are stored.

Ozone Applications for Food Products and Processing

• Washing fruits and vegetables
• Meat and Poultry Production and Processing
• Seafood Processing and Aquaculture
• Food Storage
• Pest Management
• Irrigation
• Air Quality
• Beverage Production

	Antimicrobial Effects of Ozonated Water Against Generic E.coli on Swine Significan reduction of E.coli can be achieved with ozone using the proper dosage and exposure time.

Pathogens Ozone is Commonly Used to Inactivate

• Salmonella Enteritidis
• E.coli O157:H7
• Listeria Monocytogenes
• Shigella Dysenteriae
• Micrococcus Aureus
• Clostriduim botulinum
  • Mycobacterium Tuberculosis
  • Bacillus Anthracis
  • Streptococcus sp
• Molds
  • Botrytis
  • Rhizopus
  • Penicillium
  • Aspergillus

	Ozone Use in Apple Processing Adobe PDF document (126KB) The Challenge: To Reduce Flume Water Usage and Keep Tastee Apples Tasty

Historical Timeline

• August 13, 1999 - FDA issues 21CFR Part 173.368 giving ozone GRAS approval for use on all meat and poultry products.
• December 23, 1999 - FSIS published final rule approving the use of ozone in meat and poultry products.
• December 17, 2002 - USDA issues FSIS Directive 7120.1 naming ozone a Safe and Suitable Ingredient Used in the Production of Meat and Poultry Products.

	Ozone is Approved for Use with Food. The USDA and FDA have approved ozone as an antimicrobial agent for use with food processing. With regulatory approval, ozone has become a great option for cost-effectively disinfecting food.

Extended Benefits of Ozone

• Higher levels of ozone can be used before altering the taste or appearance of the produce.
• Ozone improves taste and appearance over the use of chlorination alone: Better Quality Produce
• Ozone lowers counts of spoilage microorganisms in wash water and on produce surface: Longer Shelf Life
• Ozone keeps wash water cleaner longer: Less Water Usage
• An ozone treatment is capable of destroying pesticides and chemical residues in wash water and on produce.
• Eliminate chlorine from a process: No THM's or other chlorinated by-products.
• Implementing ozone reduces the risk of cross-contamination of pathogens.
• Ozone leaves no checmical residue: No Final Rinse - Less Water Usage
• An ozone system mitigates the need for storage, handling, use, and disposal of chemical sanitation agents.
• In some situations, ozone reduces contamination in discharge water: Lower Cost Waste Water Disposal
• Ozone is natural and chemical free allowing the use of ozone in organic food production and processing.

	Ozone in Food Processing Applications Past Experience, Future Potential and Regulatory Issues Adobe PDF document (93KB) The recent stories of food contamination reported in the media serve to highlight the need for the food industry in the United States to seek better, more effective methods of ensuring the safety of food products.

Featured Products

	30 Grams/Hour Ozone Injection System Introduces [b]30 grams/hour[/b] ozone into up to [b]50 GPM[/b] water flows Produces ozone from integrated Oxygen Concentrator Will provide [b]50 GPM[/b] Water Flow with [b]2.0 PPM[/b] Dissolved Ozone Level
	Ozone Injection Systems These systems are used to inject ozone into water for food processing, drinking water, and even waste water treatment.
	Ozone Compatible Spray Wand This ozone compatible spray wand is constructed specifically for ozonated water applications. SS & Viton wetted parts ensure long term reliability.

Related Information

• 

  Ozone with Fruit and Vegetables

  Health and Safety

• 

  The Ozone Basics

  Start here.

• 

  Ozone Effect on Pathogens

  Bacteria, Molds, Viruses

• 

  Effect of Ozone on Bacteria

  O3 destroys it.

• 

  USDA, FDA, and Ozone

  Regulations change.

Related Research

• 

  Ozone vs Chlorine

  ...as Sanitizers in Food Processing

• 

  Wheat Flour Tempered with Ozone

  Reduced contamination.

• 

  Ozone & E. coli 0157:H7

  ...in Drinking Water (according to the EPA)