Disinfecting with Chlorine Dioxide for use in Food Processing

The food processing industry is one of the largest revenue and employment generators in the USA and accounts for nearly 37.5% of global sales. The U.S. has about 21,000 companies bringing in $750 billion in revenue (An Overview of the State of the Food Processing Industry.) With the positive growth story of the food processing industry is the issue of avoidable food contamination. According to CDC, around 48 million people get sick and 3000 people die from food contamination every year in the USA. The main causative factors behind such grim statistics are unspecified agents and known pathogens. Among the food categories prone to the risk of microbial contamination are fresh vegetables, fruits, and meat.

Further, as more people realize the perks of maintaining a healthy lifestyle the demand for quality food with minimal processing is growing. This has made the manufacturers of such food products scout for clean technologies. Also, they need to disinfect the equipment used in food processing frequently to prevent the formation of biofilm. This is important as the presence of biofilm on the equipment can contaminate other product batches. It is to be noted that in the food processing industry, it is not always possible to apply heat treatment at every stage to eliminate microorganisms.

Moreover, microorganisms (pathogenic and non-pathogenic) can end up forming colonies on the surfaces of food and the equipment processing it. So, the need of the hour is to apply a powerful disinfectant like chlorine dioxide to kill microbes without affecting the aroma, appearance, and taste of the food products. The use of disinfectants can ensure food quality, the extension of shelf life, sterilization of equipment, and removal of odors during transportation and storage. The food processing industry has taken to using chlorine dioxide in USA as a popular sanitizer to wash vegetables, fruits, meat, seafood, mushrooms, and other food products. The best part of utilizing chlorine dioxide in Buena Park is its ability to kill harmful pathogens like bacteria and E.coli.

Even though chlorine dioxide is safe and scores over chlorine in meeting the high standards of the food processing industry, it should be used in the correct concentration. The concentration of chlorine dioxide depends on the type of food product and its microbial contamination level. It can range from 2ppm to 5ppm to keep the residual levels at 0.5ppm. At higher concentrations – to be arranged from chlorine dioxide suppliers, the powerful disinfectant can be used to purify water, which can be further used for washing, handling, and sorting of fresh food produce. It helps to slow down the ripening of food products and the development of microorganisms like fungi.

Chlorine dioxide in meat processing

Microorganisms in large concentrations are present on the surfaces and intestinal tracts of freshly slaughtered animals. To ensure product safety, federal regulations stipulate the testing of such meat for Salmonella. So, food processors can get chlorine dioxide in USA in the right concentration and apply it as an agent to process water used in washing the meat. The chemical can improve the quality of the meat and enhance its shelf life.

Conclusion

Chlorine dioxide has emerged as a powerful and effective disinfectant in the food processing industry. However, its usage depends on the quality of water and the volume of food being sanitized. Hence, businesses involved in food processing should contact chlorine dioxide suppliers to get the right quantum of supply.