BiOzone Corporation 

Disinfection with Gaseous Ozonation 

The agricultural industry producing edible horticultural crops is very much concerned with the shelf life of their products. Despite thorough washing and rinsing, one can simply not completely prevent a decay process and possible infection by human pathogens. 

The consumer has demanded produce being of fresh quality and a high safety standard. The challenge of preserving taste, odor, and extending shelf life significantly, can be met with gaseous ozonation (mixing ambient air with ozone gas ). Applying gaseous ozonation today in a post-harvest environment is accepted by the regulatory agencies. Under the statute of GRAS (generally recognized as safe), the EPA has allowed ozone as a disinfectant.

While packaged during transport and product in storage, the primary objective with ozonation is sanitization and extension of shelf life. Since in all of these operations humans would come in contact with the ozonation process, a controlled and safe environment is essential.

When using ozone as an anti-microbiological agent, the process of mixing ozone gas with air and at the same time increasing the relative humidity to a preferred value of above 85 percent, we could also refer to this process as fumigation.

To our advantage are the physical characteristics of ozone having a half-life in the gaseous phase extending more than 3 days at a temperature around 40^oF. Even when packaged in large bins and in plastic containers, eventually ozone gas will find its way to the surface of fresh and dried fruits and vegetables. This will occur through forced ventilation but also through natural osmosis.

Most benefits of applied ozonation in cold storage rooms have been achieved in the substantial reduction of fungus spore production, elimination of bacterial pathogens, such as salmonella, e-coli, and shigella, decreased development of ethylene through oxidation, and significant reduction of listeria monocytogenes.

INNOVATIVE WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY
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BIOZONE
CORPORATION

11026 E. Crestline Circle • Englewood, Colorado 80111-3806
• Phone (303) 770-2095 • FAX (303) 689-0065

e-mail:  ozone@biozone.com                      http://www.biozone.com