The effectiveness of spraying fresh produce with ozonated water to eliminate bugs such as salmonella, listeria and E.Coli has been proven for the first time by Campden BRI.
Test results demonstrated that applying such treatment - coined the Radical Water System - was highly effective at decontaminating whole cabbages.
The process blasts bacteria, viruses, yeasts and moulds using naturally occurring biocides generated by advanced oxidation technology. It increases shelf-life and reduces spoilage and potential waste from perishables.
The system eliminates the need for chemicals, using natural substances that do not adversely affect the environment. Ozonated water also breaks down after use into water and oxygen.
“This is a very encouraging set of results and demonstrates the potential of this technology in helping fresh fruit and vegetable processors protect their produce from potentially dangerous contaminants while avoiding the use of chemical-based sprays,” said Mark Fielding, director of Radical, which specialises in natural sanitising technology.
For the purposes of the tests, cabbages were deliberately contaminated with salmonella, E.Coli and listeria. After spraying them with ozonated water for 60 seconds, salmonella and E.Coli levels were found to be below or near the level of detection and listeria was only present in minuscule amounts.