For decades, the produce industry has been using chlorine for disinfecting produce and removing traces of pesticides, but chlorine is not 100 percent effective at killing bacteria. Moreover, chlorine leaves residual traces that are harmful to the human body and the environment. Health experts have long expressed concerns about the residue left by chlorine treatment. Now, there is a significantly better alternative — ozonated water. 

Ozone is a strong oxidant that acts as a natural disinfection agent. Disinfection using ozone removes the need for dangerous chemical disinfectants and is an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional chemical sanitization products. Ozone acts 3,000 times faster than chlorine and is 50 times more effective. After the sanitization process ozone simply reforms into oxygen molecules, without emitting any harmful by-products.

Research has verified that disinfecting fruits and vegetables with ozonated water is superior to using conventional safety and sanitation methods such as chlorine to remove traces of pesticides. It’s important to understand what harmful chemicals are on our produce to better understand how ozone works to remove them. 

Pesticides are Toxic, and Toxins are Harmful to  Humans 

The most widely used disinfectant for produce such as apples and peaches is organophosphates. The US Department of Agriculture reports that almost 81 percent of apple and peach produce is sprayed with an organophosphate treatment. While this disinfectant might work well in protecting these crops, it has tremendous side effects on humans. This may come as a surprise, but these chemicals are not designed to be “pest-specific”. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the organophosphate diazinon works by damaging acetylcholinesterase, a cholinergic enzyme critical for controlling the nervous system. In short, the same chemicals that short-circuit the nervous systems of pests may also be poisoning the humans that eat the treated produce.

Research on Organophosphates 

A study carried out by the CDC reported that many children with leukemia tested positive for high concentrations of organophosphate in their blood. Other studies suggest that there is a strong connection between pesticide exposure and diseases such as lymphoma and leukemia before ingesting small amounts of pesticide-treated produce. The research shows that chemicals that enter our body through regular produce consumption accumulate over time in our bodies.  

How Ozone Can Remove Hazardous Chemicals From Produce 

Over the past two decades, US consumption of fruits and vegetables has significantly increased. During the same period, however, incidents related to foodborne diseases have also grown. Now recognized for the serious crisis, the problem of pesticide ingestion is gaining public attention. 

Before industrial farmers began the widespread adoption of using harmful pesticides to control crop waste, cleaning methods worked well enough to remove minor amounts of chemical residuals from our food. Heavier doses of toxic chemicals, however, leave more toxic residue, which can cause reactions that harm the human body. Ozonated water and ozone sprays reduce toxins and leave no residue. 

Ozone as an Oxidizing Agent  

The primary use of ozonated water in the produce industry is as an oxidizing agent. Ozone works faster than chlorine and does not leave any chemical residue that could harm us. Ozone is reactive at high concentrations, but then quickly decays into ordinary oxygen within 20 minutes. 

Ozonated water is a much stronger element than oxygen because of its high-energy molecular bond. This decomposition into oxygen is what makes ozone safe for food products because it leaves no residue behind. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be thoroughly rinsed with ozonated water. The wash water can be reused after a combination of filtration and ozonation.

Ozone Water Makes Produce Safe 

Ozonated water — or ozone water as it’s sometimes called — is used in multiple industries, including bottled water bottling plants. Ozone also stops fruits and vegetables from collecting bacteria, deflects insects, and halts the spread of mold and yeast during shipping. Furthermore, ozonated water has been recognized by the British Organic Soil Association. It can be used to clean organic agriculture products and leaves no chemical residue on food.

The Bottom Line 

Industrialized farming has revolutionized food production, but in an unwanted side-effect, our food now potentially carries disease-causing bacteria that can cause significant harm. The use of chlorine may be harmful to humans, but with ozonated water, the produce industry and consumers now have an effective method of removing the toxic effect of pesticides without more chemicals. More consumers across the world are now demanding that their produce be free from both bacteria and chemicals. With numerous studies demonstrating the efficiency of ozone as a cleaning treatment for fruits and vegetables, it is time to consider ozone a different, safer approach to food preparation and cleansing.

A major central kitchen and food processing company in Taipei, Taiwan prepares ingredients and meals from central locations and delivers them to satellite kitchens. The ingredients get turned into meals for numerous restaurant clients around Taipei City. They focus on delivering food from a variety of cuisines including local Chinese, Taiwanese, hot pot, and even fine dining.

Problem

Before sending the ingredients to satellite kitchens, staff at the central kitchen need to clean and sanitize all produce and seafood, as this is prone to bacteria. They had previously been using watered-down chemical agents to soak produce and remove bacteria and pesticide residues — as well as extend the shelf life of the ingredients. But this was time-consuming, as it takes four hours to sanitize produce this way. Staff needed to soak produce overnight so it would be ready to serve the next day. Additionally, using chemical disinfectants is not safe for humans over time, as it leaves chemical residue on the food. The central kitchen was looking for a faster, more environmentally friendly, and safer way to disinfect food ingredients.

Solution

The central kitchen attached the Water Disinfection System (WDS) by BioSure to every sink in their kitchens to pour ozonated water from faucets. They use post-filtration water to generate ozonated water through the WDS electrolytic ozone generator, creating a sanitizing agent to remove bacteria from produce. Time savings are immense, as with ozonated water it just takes 30 seconds for the sanitation process to work, versus four hours with chemicals. It doesn’t leave any harmful chemical residues. There are also substantial cost savings in not needing to buy and store large vats of chemical agents, plus the cost savings in labor when staff mix chemical cleaning agents together — a process that is prone to human error. Now the disinfection of produce and seafood is faster, cheaper, and better, with their customers benefiting the most from ozonated water.

Airlines have to feed thousands of passengers everyday. They rely on central kitchens at airports to prepare airline meals. A popular dish at one airline might need to be prepared 5,000 times a day, per airline.

Problem

There have been various documented cases of food poisoning from airline food. The US Food and Drug Administration has issued nearly 1,500 food safety citations to the three major airline caterers (Gate Group, Flying Food Group, LSG Sky Chefs) and 16 airlines since October 2008, according to an NBC News investigation. NBC found that 500 of these cases were related to contamination or sanitation violations, but none were severe enough for the FDA to shut down a catering facility. Part of the reason for these violations is that a long period of time passes between food preparation, loading onto the aircraft, and consumption by passengers. During this time, the food is prone to bacteria growing on it.

Solution

To fight against bacterial infection among passengers and reduce the risk of further citations, airlines are using ozonated water to prewash produce served on flights from these airport central kitchens. This also helps eliminates residues from pesticides that can potentially harm humans. Ozonated water as a disinfection method is not only more effective than chemical disinfection agents but also safe for people and the environment. After removing bacteria and pesticides from produce, ozonated water reverts to oxygen, creating safer meals and bringing a dramatic drop in both infection and citations among airlines and their passengers without harm to the environment.

A private membership club in Taiwan hosts regular dinner and lunch events for a small group of VIPs. These are typically business-oriented networking events or exclusive meetings. The facilities are hidden away in a private enclave, and luxurious enough for a group of people who only expect the best.

Problem

The staff of the private club was holding regular lunch and dinner events and found that bad food smells from an oil trap were emanating into the areas where members congregate. This was caused by leftover food and kitchen waste — with the odors coming from the drainage wastewater connected to a busy kitchen. The staff was urgently looking for a way to eliminate the odors, as they were getting complaints from members and the odors were diminishing the exclusive and luxurious feel of the establishment.

Solution

The Ozone Water System (OWS-1) was installed on kitchen water lines to pump ozonated water into the oil interceptor, part of a robust wastewater disinfection solution for the VIP club. Ozonated water’s oxidizing properties decrease unwanted smells and reduce cleaning time, as does ozonated water’s ability to dissolve fat inside of the oil interceptor. It works by pumping a high concentration of ozonated water five minutes per hour for 24 hours a day, disinfecting automatically all day and all night. This was enough to kill the bacteria and eliminate bad odors. The automated system means no human labor is needed in the disinfection process. The staff is now happy to bring an exceptional level of service to elite clients without the use of harmful chemicals.

Thanks to advances in ozone generation technology, disinfecting drink dispensers with the powerful oxidizing power of ozone has become a smarter option for many of these businesses. Ozonated water is safe and effective in keeping drink dispensers at your business free of harmful bacteria and free from unwanted chemical residues leftover by conventional cleaning chemicals. For more info on the advantages of cleaning with ozone, read our article: How Ozonated Water Works

Why ozone for drink dispensers?

Thanks to the reactivity of ozone on a molecular level, the O3 molecule begins breaking down almost instantly after being generated in the water supply. This leaves behind only clean, fresh water, and regular stable oxygen. Ozone’s reactivity is also why ozonated water is most effective as a disinfectant if it is used within the first five to ten minutes after being generated. For more info on how ozonated water is created, check out our article (link). 

While most quality drink dispensers are used seven to ten years on average, they must be cleaned regularly for a business to get the most out of their purchase. With ozonated water, these machines can be kept running constantly clean for customer safety and giving peace of mind to business owners. 

How to clean a drink dispenser with ozonated water

Below are basic instructions for how to integrate the power of ozone into the cleaning routine for your business’ drink dispenser(s). 

1. Daily Cleaning

The dispensers, nozzles, drain area, and external surface of the drink dispenser should be cleaned at least once at the end of each business day. Turn off the machine before disassembling the pieces from the front of the machine.

For basic daily cleaning, the nozzles, as well as any diffusers, which add the drink’s syrup to the carbonated water, should be detached from the machine. With ozonated water available on-premise, we recommend a two-part disinfectant process.

For plastic or metal nozzles and diffusers, they can be submerged in a plastic tub of active ozonated water from the Water Disinfection System (WDS) and left to sit for two to three minutes. Meanwhile, with an Ozone Spray Bottle (OSB) full of active ozonated water and a clean cloth, an employee can wipe down the exterior face of the drink dispenser. They should pay close attention to the drain area and the area around where the nozzle connects to the machine.

Any containers on top of the machine should also be disconnected and wiped down inside and out with the ozonated water solution. Give all implements several minutes to air dry before re-assembling the machine, making it ready for immediate use at the start of the next work shift. 

2. Weekly beverage line cleaning drink dispensers

Each week, it is recommended that any tubes supplying beverages be disconnected and thoroughly sanitized. This can be done by switching the water source to the ozonated water pipeline supplied by the PFDS series. Fill the entire pipeline and the equipment with ozonated water through the water discharge of the equipment, and switch the water source back to the beverage dispenser after the sanitation is completed. 

3. Monthly Cleaning

It is also important to clean the ice tray and ice dispenser, along with other parts of the machine at least every four weeks (or more frequently). Typically an ice machine may need to be deep cleaned every four to six months to ensure the ice cubes consumed by customers reach a proper hygiene standard. Using the IDS (Ice Disinfection System) by Biosure will make this process easier, as you only need to deal with the problem every half a year. This helps reduce the costs of labor, time, and money when deep cleaning if the ice machine is required.

Benefits of Ozonated Water

Some top-of-the-line water dispensers are even integrating ozone generation as part of the machine’s cleaning system. The ozone in the water supply will quickly dissipate and poses no threat to people drinking from the water dispenser provided the ozone is given sufficient time to break down, and not even affect the taste. 

In addition to the power of ozonated water as a potent anti-bacterial agent, in the long term, business owners will save money and space that would have been used on purchasing and storing cleaning chemicals. Using ozone as a cleaning agent will contribute to your business’s commitment to sustainability.

A business’ drink dispenser can be an important tool for promoting the public image of a business. This is especially true if the machine is located in front of the house for self-service by customers. While style and service capabilities are always important, cleanliness, both internally and on external surfaces, is no less important to the image a business provides to its customers. With the power of ozone-generation technology, there is no need to worry about the cleanliness of your equipment or the health of your customers being compromised ever again.

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Ozone and Ice: Do You Know What’s in Your Drink?

Is Ozone Water Safe?

This is not merely alarmist. As several global news stories have shown us, there are cases of edible ice contamination happening all around the world, and more often than we thought.

Ice Contaminations Cases Around the World

In the US in 2013, an outbreak of norovirus caused by dirty ice at a golf course in Phoenix sickened 80 people. In 2018, a reporter who looked at restaurant report cards in North Carolina every week saw “dirty ice machines” often cited in the public reports.

Meanwhile, in China in 2013, ice cubes at fast-food chains were found to be riddled with 13 times more bacteria than toilet water. And in Hong Kong in 2017, edible ice samples collected under the routine Food Surveillance Programme of the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) were found to contain excessive coliform bacteria, organisms that are present in the environment and in the feces of all warm-blooded animals and humans. 

You may think European countries probably apply striker regulations and prevention toward food safety. However, studies done in Europe have shown dirty ice cases as well. In 2017, an undercover study by the BBC investigated iced beverages in the U.K. and found that out of 30 samples taken from three different fast-food restaurants, more than half were contaminated with fecal coliform bacteria. In 2013, a newspaper did an experiment that collected ice from ten well-known fast-food chains and announced that in six out of ten locations, those ice cubes “contained higher levels of bacteria than the water samples taken from toilet bowls at the same establishments”. 

How To Ensure The Safety of Edible Ice

Most people don’t give a second thought when they use ice. But those real-life cases above reveal the potential harms of dirty ice to our health and even to the public health system. It’s a little-known fact that ice machines that produce the ice we drink could potentially be a home for all manner of harmful bacteria, viruses, mold, and other microorganisms.

Ice should always be manufactured and handled with the same strict standards that we use to treat the rest of our food. Since more and more research has shown the importance of edible ice safety following numerous cases of edible ice contamination happening in the world, governments have made regulations for ice manufacturing and handling to make sure that edible ice must be produced, stored, and transported in clean and sanitary conditions. Ice manufacturers and food and beverage businesses such as restaurants, hotels, and bars, must monitor the cleanliness and hygiene of employees, use properly cleaned and maintained equipment, and use water that is safe and sanitary.

In addition to the above precautions, ozone is a powerful solution to help prevent bacteria from getting into ice that you or your customers consume.

The Magic of Ozone 

Ozonated water, which is usually produced by electrolytic ozone generators (E.O.G), is one of the strongest disinfectants known to mankind. It is an effective and fast disinfectant. Compared to general chlorine-based disinfectants, ozone disinfection speed is 3,000 times faster and 50 times stronger. Ozone water is also one of the safest disinfectants. It’s 100 percent natural, which makes it perfectly safe for human beings as well as for the environment in the right amounts. 

When it comes to ice and drinking water, the CDC has proclaimed that ozone is a safe and effective sanitation method, protecting against even some of the most resistant microorganisms.

Electrolytic ozone treatment works by combining electricity with water through an electrolytic ozone generator (E.O.G). It’s considered a safe and effective disinfectant alternative to chemicals for food safety applications. Including decontamination of water and sanitization of kitchen equipment, ozone is also very effective in eliminating biological matter in the water like bacteria or viruses, killing them instantly. 

After filtration, the water goes through electrolysis and the chemical ionization is finished. This helps remove any particulate matter that was created in the process. The final water supply is then completely free of impurities. 

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Food Safety and Ozone: How Ozone is Becoming the Industry Standard?

International five-star hotel chains serve thousands of guests a day in their restaurants, bars and coffee shops. A prominent chain was looking to streamline their sanitation processes to keep food from their busy central kitchens safe for their guests. While they had an effective standard operating procedure (SOP) in place, they faced several problems. 

First, after sanitizing kitchen surfaces with chemical disinfectants, an extra rinse of clean water was needed to wash away leftover residues. But even after a thorough rinse, these chemical residues were still found from the use of pungent chlorine-based disinfectants. Kitchen staff were required to mix precise quantities of chemicals disinfectants, a time-consuming process that’s prone to human error due to the meticulous process of mixing a cocktail of chemicals on a regular basis. If these chemicals aren’t mixed properly, they could be too strong and find their way into food, resulting in guests and employees falling ill, and potential legal trouble.

Solution

Driven by a pursuit to bring the best customer experiences and improve employee efficiency, the hotel chain installed the BioSure OWS-1 central ozone sanitation system and implemented it into their disinfection workflow. It works by infusing tap water with a concentration of ozone of 4.0ppm to 0.6ppm, depending on the flow of ozone water. This has helped the hotel chain meet the stringent requirements of HACCP standards.

The OWS-1 was implemented in the washing of ingredients during food processing, as well as in disinfection of cutting boards and other food prep surfaces. It’s also used for large area cleaning and disinfection of central kitchens.

The BioSure OWS-1 can produce high-concentration ozone water used for pre-disinfection in the treatment areas. It has several applications, including:

1. Disinfecting large amounts of lettuce during food processing and helping degrade pesticide residues
2. Removing fishy odors in raw seafood
3. It’s used while cleaning knives, helping to prevent cross-infection of ingredients
4. Quickly and effectively disinfecting surfaces and improving food safety 

The BioSure OWS-1 is ready to use without additional storage space required to hold large amounts of chemicals. It automatically generates an effective concentration of ozone water without the need to worry about the risk of human error in the manual deployment of disinfectants.

Results

The hotel’s executive chef is very happy with the implementation of the BioSure OWS-1. “BioSure helped me and the kitchen staff complete our work more efficiently than ever. After installing OWS-1, we have been able to reduce the use of chemical agents.” said the head chef “This means avoiding human error, reducing training time and costs, and automating sanitation at different stages. This has made our work easier and more efficient, and at the same time safer.”

The BioSure OWS-1 effectively sanitizes without leaving chemical residues. After the ozonation process is completed, only oxygen and water are left, which does not affect the safety of personnel and is beneficial to the environment over the long term. The hotel chain has shown how they value their customers, their team members, and while pursuing corporate goals of environmental sustainability.

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Among all of them, one suggestion stands out above all, which has been repeated on news announcements, advertisements, and authoritative interviews — washing hands with soap for at least 20 seconds. The World Health Organization (WHO) published an infographic showing the correct way to wash hands, which even advises washing for 40 to 60 seconds. It is suggested by the WHO that adopting frequent hand hygiene as part of day-to-day practice can play a critical role in fighting COVID-19, as hand washing is one of the most effective actions people can take to reduce the spread of pathogens and prevent infections including the COVID-19 virus.

Why Hand Hygiene Matters

The reason that hand hygiene has been taken so seriously is that the COVID-19 virus mainly spreads through droplet and contact transmission. Most often, this happens through aerosol transmission or by hands after touching infected people or contaminated objects or surfaces. Our hands can spread the virus to other surfaces or our mouth, nose, or eyes if we touch them. One of the cheapest, easiest, and most important ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to wash our hands frequently with soap and water. Numerous studies have proven that hand washing can mechanically remove pathogens, and laboratory data demonstrate that alcohol-based hand rub effectively reduces the number of pathogens that may be present on the hands. 

When You Should Wash Your Hands

Early on in the pandemic, the UK government’s scientific advice was that we should wash our hands every few hours, even when most of the populace was quarantined in their homes. Thomas Gilbert, an associate professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Northeastern University in Boston, said in an interview that’s not really necessary for those who mostly stay home. 

Healthcare providers and those caring for Covid-19 patients need to wash their hands more frequently, especially if they are coming into contact with objects or surfaces the infected patient has touched or coughed on. The CDC has also listed a few key times when people should wash their hands for avoiding germs spreading including:

• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before eating food
• Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After using the toilet
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
• After handling pet food or pet treats
• After touching garbage 

Since hands are a major source of germ transmission, it is vital for healthcare organizations and those linked to public health to train their staff on proper hand hygiene, including healthcare institutions, food and beverage services. According to the CDC, healthcare providers need to wash their hands as many as 100 times per twelve-hour shift, depending on the number of patients and intensity of care. The FDA also highlighted the importance of hand hygiene including washing hands for at least 20 seconds for employees in food service establishments or retail food stores during the pandemic.

Alternatives for Hand Disinfection

In addition to handwashing with soap or alcohol-based hand sanitizer, there is some exciting news on alternatives for maintaining hand hygiene. Researchers have found that ozone water or ozonated water is a great weapon to fight against COVID-19 as well. According to the CDC, ozone is a safe and effective sanitation method, protecting against even some of the most resistant microorganisms. Compared to general chlorine disinfectants, its sterilization speed is said to be 3,000 times faster, and its sterilization ability is 50 times stronger. In addition to its strong ability in disinfection, it leaves no chemical residues on hands or in the air, and it has no taste or smell after the reaction. It also causes no negative effect or irritation to our mouth, nose, or skin.

In October 2020, Scientists at Fujita Health University, Japan, found that low concentrations of ozone can kill coronavirus cells, which may provide a way for hospitals to disinfect examination rooms and waiting areas. The study used an ozone generator in a closed room with Covid-19 samples. After 10 hours of subjecting the virus specimen to low-concentration ozone, the potency of the virus dropped by more than 90 percent.

Even before the 2020 pandemic, scientists found ozonated water disinfects hands better than alcohol-based sanitizer — excellent news for surgeons who suffer from eczema caused by frequent hand washing. Hans Johan Breidablik, the lead researcher of this study, said one of the benefits of disinfecting hands with ozonated water is that it does not cause skin irritation and dryness that can be associated with 75% alcohol hand sanitizer. It also doesn’t damage latex or rubber gloves and other medical protective gear.

According to a study from the University’s Institute of Population Health, among all cases of irritant contact dermatitis, they found a quarter of them were in healthcare workers.

An unlimited source of chemical-free disinfection
with an ozone water disinfection system

Ozonated water is easy to obtain now with the availability of commercial electrolytic ozone generators. The Water Disinfection System (WDS) by BioSure Professional generates ozonated water on demand by attaching the unit to a waterline. Simply connect the unit to an existing, filtered water input and the system will turn the water into an efficient and safe sanitizer. The process and result are totally chemical-free.

Concentration matters

The WDS uses a revolutionary EOG (Electrolytic Ozone Generator) technology that replaces chemical dosing treatment for sanitation. This safe process reduces overall operating costs and is environmentally friendly. The WDS also produces an instant concentration of ozone that’s superior to ordinary ozone generators. When it comes to hand sanitizing and hand washing, it’s equally effective. Simply attach it to a waterline and ozonated water can be generated in an instant, removing one less path that COVID-19 has to spread the virus.

Healthcare workers, office workers, and homeowners can attach a WDS system to have access to ozonated water to keep viruses and infections away without chemicals or alcohol.

Conclusion

 As handwashing becomes part of the post-covid new norm, healthcare professionals are preferring to sanitize their hands with ozonated water. Rather than stocking up on 75% alcohol that leaves a chemical residue, irritates the skin, leaves harsh order and taste, and is not easy to store, ozonated water has come as a new, and improved method for keeping healthcare staff and patients safer from infection. To learn more details of the Water Disinfection System by BioSure Professional, please visit here.

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As such, ozonated water is a great and effective sanitation treatment for use within the seafood industry. Seafood processing companies tend to use chlorine when sanitizing their seafood products. However, chlorine leaves a chemical residue that can be just as harmful as the bacteria it kills, and it also affects the flavor of the seafood. 

Over the years, alternative methods of sanitation such as ozonated water have been introduced. Studies show that ozone sanitation is becoming the preferred disinfection method for the seafood industry in comparison to chlorine. 

Ozone is a strong oxidant that acts as a natural sanitizer. Sanitization using ozone removes the need for dangerous chemical disinfectants, and is an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional chemical sanitization products. Ozone acts 3000 times faster than chlorine, and is 50 times more effective. After the sanitization process ozone simply reforms into oxygen molecules, without emitting any harmful by-products.

Ozone sanitation is the most effective method of removing bacteria from seafood. Because of its strong oxidation properties, ozonated water penetrates into the cellular membrane of bacteria and kills them. This invasion of the oxygen molecule destroys viruses and bacteria from the inside, making ozone the strongest disinfectant available. 

Not only is ozone effective at killing bacteria and viruses, but it also helps in growing fish (aquaculture). Aside from this, ozonated water is useful in many seafood processing procedures. 

Benefits of Ozone Sanitation in Seafood Processing

Ozonated water has three active molecules of oxygen. The industry uses this extra molecule as an invaluable tool. Here are some of the ways through which ozone sanitation can help the seafood industry. 

Ozonated Water in Aquaculture 

As the population of the world increases, so do our consumption needs. There are 7.8 billion people in the world today, and the population is projected to increase by up to 9.9 billion by 2050. This increase in population could mean that fish farming is now the predominant revenue stream for the seafood industry.

Fish farming may be expensive, as ponds and water pools have to be sanitized — a reason why the growth of the aquaculture industry has slowed. However, this cost can be minimized with the use of electrolytic ozone generators. Ozone purifies water, meaning it can be added into pools and ponds to kill bacteria and viruses. Ozonated water also helps in the rapid growth of fish, therefore increasing the overall production of fish. 

Transporting Live Seafood 

Fish is often transported from a port to a processing station, and finally to a restaurant or supermarket. It can spoil during long distances. This spoiled seafood can easily spoil the whole batch by contaminating the water where it’s stored. Ozonated water can be used in the transportation of fish in order to reduce the chance of infection to consumers. This also helps to eliminate viruses and bacteria and freshens up the new water into which the seafood is stored. 

Ozone for Sushi Restaurants

If you are a fan of seafood, you may be familiar with its pungent odor. Seafood restaurants are subject to strong malodor that can be harmful to the lungs and body. This is because malodor contains disease-causing bacteria. Ozone sanitation can therefore help sushi restaurants run a bacteria-free business. 

Ozone Removes Malodor 

Malodor is a persistent smell that comes from anaerobic bacteria and cannot be masked while the source is alive. There are different kinds of malodors, however, most of these are found in seafood. If you are able to smell them at sushi restaurants then the fish has usually gone bad. Ozonated water does not mask this unpleasant odor. Instead, ozone sanitation completely eradicates the smell by attacking its source. 

Sanitizing Equipment with Ozonated Water

Cutlery at sushi restaurants can sometimes be contaminated because of the malodor present in the air. The viruses and bacteria present in malodor travel to all parts of the sushi restaurant, infecting other areas and equipment. Using ozone water for cleaning cutlery and equipment at sushi restaurants can minimize the risk of infection. Ozone sanitation removes harmful bacteria from surfaces. Using it to sanitize all equipment and cutlery within a sushi restaurant greatly removes the chances of customers falling ill from bacteria that may grow after contact with seafood.

The Bottom Line 

Ozonated water has remarkable oxidation properties that break bacteria and viruses from within. This makes ozone sanitation the best treatment for sushi restaurants because of the diverse bacteria that grow on seafood. Moreover, ozone sanitation has malodor-removing properties that eliminate unpleasant odors from the source. Sushi restaurants have a responsibility to ensure their customers are eating seafood that’s safe to eat. Using ozonated water to sanitize sushi restaurant kitchens creates a healthy workplace environment, thus providing a high level of food safety for customers. This is why ozone sanitation is the preferred sanitation method for sushi restaurants and the seafood industry. To learn more about electrolytic ozone generators, visit our website.

Major five-star hotel chains need to service thousands of customers coming from all over the world. Not only must they provide comfortable rooms, but they also need to offer consistent tasty and hygienic food from their restaurants. To ensure food safety and to meet stringent hygiene standards, the hotel’s central kitchen use chemicals to disinfect. But this was becoming problematic.

A manual disinfection process means the possibility of human error during adjustments and mixing of chemical solutions, plus the need for extra rinsing with clean water, while still often leaving chemical residues. Their process used significant manpower and material resources, with no guarantees of food safety.

Solution

To maintain food safety standards, the hotel chain introduced the complete BioSure professional kitchen integration program into their disinfection process, meeting requirements of the HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) while replacing and reducing reliance on chemical disinfectants. The program includes several BioSure OWS-1 and BioSure CSS units used in the food disinfection process.

The OWS-1 central ozone sanitation system provides a high concentration of ozone water to quickly and effectively disinfect a large area. It was integrated with an automatic vegetable washing machine to clean ingredients. The OWS-1 system in this case was used for eight sets of faucets and has a wide range of applications to meet the needs of a variety of workstations, including hand sanitation, utensil sanitation, food preparation, and rinsing. The OWS-1 is ready to use, automatically generates a safe and effective concentration of ozone water at a high flow rate without the need to worry about the risk of human error in manually disinfecting food materials without compromise in speed.

How it Works

Once the CSS multi-function ozone water sanitation machine is installed next to the sink, it can sanitize and remove odors, prevent cross-infection, and helps avoid cross-contamination of odors from other food materials. The ozone water that it generates leaves no residue and does not harm the human body while keeping customers and employees safe from unwanted pathogens like harmful bacteria and viruses.

Ozonated water from BioSure Professional is a pH-neutral solution that doesn’t change food texture or flavor. When used to sanitize food processing equipment, it doesn’t cause unnecessary corrosion either. It leaves no chemical residue and is ready to serve customers. According to Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) standards, ozonated water can be applied as the primary sanitation solution in the five main food preparation areas: fruits, vegetables, meats, shelled seafood, and unshelled seafood. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of ozonated water directly for food contact since 2001.

BioSure professional has also received approval from UK’s leading food lab Campden BRI, which has proven that ozone performance is as good as chemical sanitation methods, but without the residuals. Food safety managers have noted additional advantages such as:

1. Extended shelf life of food

2. Buffet kitchens no longer deal with foul odors as ozonated water keeps the drain system fresh and clean. 

3. Staff prefer to use ozonated water for food washing and sanitation directly from the tap.

“There were no issues integrating the system, meaning we can do our work faster and more efficiently.” mentioned a kitchen manager. “It gives customers peace of mind during their stay, and that brings us a great sense of pride.” 

Results

Deployment of the BioSure series of special kitchen equipment not only meets HACCP standards but also reduces the use of chemical sanitizer, thus, also reducing the cost of manpower while minimizing the risk of unsafe and improper use of chemicals. Furthermore, the OWS-1 and CSS can be easily integrated into the working procedures after installation is completed. The BioSure system also saves time in training and educating employees on the technicalities of manually mixing chemical cleaning agents.


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