Ozone and Food Storage
Posted by Joel Leusink on July 11, 2011 under Food Industry | 
Be the First to Comment
Ozone Helps Produce Last Longer by Extending Shelf Life
Common Applications for Ozone use in Food Storage
- Potato Storage Facilities
- Onion Storage Facilities
- Citrus Fruit Storage
- Vegetable Storage
- Aged Ham Storage
- Cool Meat Storage
- Preservation of Fish and Seafood
- General Cold Storage Facilities
Methods of Ozone Application
- Ozone gas can be distributed throughout a cold storage facility at low levels.
- Ozone-sterilized ice is used to pack fresh fish and seafood to prolong freshness.
- Ozone gas is used in meat coolers to inhibit microbiological growth and extend shelf life.
- Ozone is dissolved into water to wash fruits and vegetables and remove mold and bacteria.
- Low levels of ozone gas can be used in containers to prolong shelf life upon delivery.
- Dissolved ozone is used to wash meat and poultry to remove bacteria and extend refrigerated shelf life
Benefits of Ozone Use in Cold Storage
- Extend shelf-life of the produce within the cold storage facility.
- Air-borne microbiological control
- Low ozone levels (<0.3 PPM) will inhibit microbiological growth in the air.
- High ozone levels can be used for disinfection when room is empty.
- Surface sanitation can be maintained
- By inhibiting microbiological growth pathogens on the surface of produce, containers, and walls will be kept to a minimum.
- Eliminate mold growth from cold storage area.
- Odor control
- Maintain an odor-free cold storage area
- Keep odors from cross contaminating between products
- Ethylene Removal
Extension of Storage Life With Ozone
A few examples
| Food | Extension | Storage Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Fish | 50-80% | ozone sterilized ice |
| Salmon | 50% | ozone sterilized ice |
| Jack Mackerel and Shimaaji (fish) | 1.2 – 1.6 days | Soak in 30% NaCl cont. 0.6 mg/L O3 30-60 min. every 2 days. |
| Beef (frozen) | 30-40% | 0.4oC; 85-90% RH; 10-20 mg/m3 O3, provided original microbial count is below 103/cm2 |
| Poultry | 2.4 days | Soak in ice water while passing in O3 (3.88 mg/L) 20 min. |
| Bananas | substantial | A few ppm O3 @ 12oC, if fruit is not within a few days of its period of rapid ripening. |
| Strawberries, Raspberries, Currents, Grapes | 100% | 2-3 ppm O3, continuously or several hours each day. |
| Apples | several | 1.95 cm3 O3/m3 |
| Potatoes | 6 months | 3 mg/L O3; 6-14oC; 93-97% RH |
| Eggs | 8 months | 0.6 ppm O3; 31oF; 90% RH |
| Cheeses | 63 days | 0.2 – 0.3 ppm O3 |
* Source: Review of the Applications of Ozone for Increasing Storage Times of Perishable Foods, Ozone: Science and Engineering, Vol. 4, pp. 147-163, 1982, Pergamon Press Ltd.
Add A Comment