Food & Drink /
Fogging with eloclear transforms the effectiveness of packhouse hygiene
Controlling contamination minimises waste and maximises product quality
OXFORD, UK, 29 JUNE 2017: Ozo Innovations (Ozo) announces the application of eloclear by fogging to improve packhouse hygiene. Packhouse hygiene underpins the shelf life of fresh produce and reduces contamination risks that can impact food safety. Fogging is a simple, fast and effective method of disinfection that uses small amounts of eloclear to sanitise very large spaces.
Ozo Innovations has worked with a number of fresh produce packing companies to evaluate the impact of fogging in a range of environments, including cold stores. Leaf packers reported that they achieved a noticeable reduction of microbes on the walls of cold stores following a single treatment. Making eloclear fogging a regular part of the hygiene process will reduce the presence of spoilage organisms that can contaminate produce during packing.
Fresh produce suppliers can manufacture eloclear on site with the simple to use system, elocube. Ozo’s elocube platform – the size of a small fridge – transforms food grade salt and cold water into the powerful cleaner and terminal disinfectant. eloclear works killing bacteria, viruses, yeast and mould.
eloclear can be used in packhouse fogging with Ozo’s hand held elofogger, which holds up to three-and-a-half litres of eloclear – sufficient for an hour’s application. The hand held fogger allows great flexibility to businesses needing to disinfect large packhouse areas and operatives are safe to be in recently treated spaces.
Other benefits expected by fogging eloclear into packhouses include:
- Reduced spoilage and produce waste
- Increased shelf life
- Controls cross contamination risk
Announcing the eloclear fogging application, Rowan Gardner, CEO of Ozo Innovations, said: “This is the first stage of a significant programme of research into fresh produce hygiene that we are undertaking as part of an international R&D collaboration. We know that reducing microbes and pathogens on fresh produce improves product safety and extends shelf life in post-harvest storage and we plan to characterise our results using advanced metagenomic profiling of microflora on fresh produce and in packhouse environments.
As packhouses are large and often difficult places to keep hygienically clean, it results in produce delivered from the field are cross contaminated during storage and packing. Moulds, yeasts and bacteria can multiply on packhouse walls, floors, air handling surfaces and cold stores, contaminating produce and resulting in shorter shelf life and quality concerns. eloclear is the solution to these packhouse hygiene issues.”
- Visit Ozo Innovations on Stand 12 at Fruit Focus on July 19 at East Malling Research Centre, East Malling, Kent.
- Visit Ozo Innovations at the Biennial Asparagus Conference on July 18 at Edward Spanton Farms in Minster, near Ramsgate, Kent, to find out how the company can help you improve the storage and shelf life of post-harvest asparagus.
