Food Production

Keeping Food Safe, Clean, and Fresh - From Farm to Table

Ozone has been proven as a safe, cost-effective, and efficient method for killing micro-organisms and bacteria. Ozonated water is perfect for ‘Post Harvest Washing’ as it sterilizes the food product and eliminates the risk of microbiological contamination. Delicate fruits in particular benefit from Ozone sanitation because it does not require the vigorous washing associated with other methods.

Our team has designed and developed a commercial dry container system that utilizes an innovative vacuum technology which allows for maximum Ozone penetration into the pores, cracks and crevices of all forms of produce ranging from; fresh fruits, vegetables and meats to prepackaged vent holes of field packed products as well as RPC packed products.

Use of ozone provides producers, suppliers, and retailers a superior tool to combat pathogen issues than what currently exists in the fresh food system
Incorporating the use of ozone sanitation shows consumers that food producers and supply chain partners are constantly finding revolutionary methods to improve food safety
Retailers will be much less vulnerable to recalls as the supply chain is functioning in a proactive manor
Ozone sanitization provides a substantial competitive advantage due to the increasing industry demand for more thorough food processing and safety protocols
Effectively, Ozone is a significant part of the solution as produce can only stay clean if the process starts clean

Highly publicized, national and regional product recalls are impacting consumption of all fresh fruit and vegetables to the tune of hundreds of millions per year in market share loss, legal litigation, and consumer confidence value.

Consumers want to eat fruits and vegetables that are healthy, but confidence in the fresh system is at an all time low - especially with imported product. Current food safety protocols have only made a slight dent in the ability to stop the recalls in a variety of products – not just fresh vegetables and fruit.

The food system is safe. It is however vulnerable, and consumers expect zero failure rates and, although unrealistic, it should be strived for.

Opportunities to incorporate Ozone Sanitation

Irrigation water during growing
Feed water during growing
Harvesting machinery
Shipping trays
Poultry barns and other Livestock pens
Greenhouse enclosures
Collection bins
Refrigerated warehouses
Distribution centers
Shipping containers
Conveyor systems
Packaging Equipment
Reefer & Dry Trailers during transport
Walk-in Coolers/Freezers
Sorting/Cutting surfaces

There are many ways to incorporate ozone treatment into each one of the above bulleted items. Most existing client setups have an opportunity to simply add our technology to existing equipment without the need to replace anything or abandon any existing investments. With a short questionnaire submitted on our website and a conversation over the phone we will be able to quickly recommend a tailored application that minimizes any disruption to your business while maximizing the effectiveness of the solution!

Table 1. Summary of results from various lab simulation and commercial hydrocooler survey studies

Pathogen / Indicator	Survival in seconds (s) or hours (h) at ORP (mV)
Pathogen / Indicator	< 485	550 < × < 620	> 665
E. coli O157:H7	> 300s	< 60s	< 10s
Salmonella spp.	> 300s	> 300s	< 20s
Listeria monocytogenes	> 300s	> 300s	< 30s
thermotolerant coliform	> 48h	> 48h	< 30s

Ozone Delivery Systems

Wet Ozone Disinfection System

After extensive research, a new and patented wet wash package was developed to dissolve ozone directly into existing wash systems at concentrations high enough for effective kill rates of all organisms, while not compromising workplace safety. Nebula Ozone has developed an enclosed system, which allows concentrations of dissolved ozone in the 3-5 ppm range in the water, and also creates a highly ozonated headspace in the range of 25-40 ppm which is a secondary and extremely effective point of pathogen attack. The key part of this closed system, is that no ozone escapes into the workplace environment, but providing an effective kill rate with no environmental concerns

View the process
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5

Dry Ozone Disinfection System

Nebula Ozone has also designed a commercial dry container system that uses a special vacuum technology that allows maximum ozone penetration into pores, cracks and crevices of bulk fruit, prepackaged vent holes of field packed product such as berries, and is especially useful in RPC packed product.

View the process
Components
Option
Cross section
Process complete

Use of the Nebula Ozone systems gives growers and marketers a superior tool to combat pathogen issues than what currently exists in the fresh food system
It is a high value insurance policy that shows consumers that producers and supply chain partners are constantly and vigilantly finding ways to improve fruit and vegetable safety
Buyers at retail grocers or food service will know they will be much less vulnerable to recalls and the supply chain is indeed being proactive, not reactive
There will be a competitive advantage to those using a rich ozone system, as the supply chain is demanding a much higher level of food safe process accountability, thereby separating those with industry vision, from those who simply want to sell produce
Ozone is only part of the solution, as traceability and cold chain handling are also critical. However, it can only stay clean if it starts clean, which ozone dramatically improves the odds

Important Links

Find news stories and blog posts highlighting the importance of sanitation for produce and protection along the food supply chain.

Romaine in at least 15 states voluntarily recalled
Source: CNN
A limited number of cases of organic romaine lettuce hearts have been recalled because of a possible risk of E. coli. The US Food and Drug Administration announced Saturday that Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. voluntarily recalled the produce.
Read More
Ozone as an added protection in food processing chain
Source: Food Quality & Safety
Every step from farm to fork is fraught with the danger of contamination. Although more is known about the risks of contamination in the food chain from production to plating than ever before, food safety practices have struggled to keep up.
Read More
Bacterial contamination in fresh produce
Source: Association for Vertical Farming
Fresh fruit and vegetables are an important part of our diet. If produce is contaminated by poorly sourced water, however, the implications can be fatal. While many people associate foodborne illness with meat and dairy, it is important to recognize that fruits and vegetables can pose a significant threat to public health if hygienic water sourcing is not upheld.
Read More
Chlorine versus ozone gas for produce sanitation
Source: AWE International
Growing consumer awareness and increasingly stringent regulatory demands have resulted in renewed emphasis on the quality of water and selection of disinfectants used for the washing and preparation of vegetables, salads and other fresh produce.
Read More
Salmonella outbreak linked to onions
Source: Toronto Star
The Public Health Agency of Canada is pleading with Canadians to heed its advice as a salmonella outbreak in Canada is continuing to cause illnesses, hospitalizations and may have even resulted in at least one death.
Read More

Nebula Ozone Industries

Ozone sanitation is ideal for a number of applications where large scale pressurized washdown is possible, and non-toxic cleaning solutions are needed.

Ozone for Breweries

The Ozone Pro™ is a stand-alone system that provides Ozone-enriched water for disinfection applications within the winery, brewery, or cidery industries. The Ozone Pro™ system is designed for ease and simplicity of installation as we provide a pre-assembled panel that is adequately equipped for turnkey Ozone production.

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Ozone for Healthcare

Nebula Ozone is helping to keep the public safe from contamination, as well as the residents and diverse range of healthcare workers in facilities where sanitization is more important than ever.

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Ozone for Water Treatment

Ozone is being increasingly adopted for drinking water and wastewater treatment because of its superb purification ability which incorporates environment-friendly features. The effectiveness of ozone for advanced water treatment has been widely proven with an extensive record of successful applications, further reinforced by the FDA and USDA’s approval of ozone applications.

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Ozone for Military & 1st Responders

Our military and first responders have the unique challenge of keeping their facilities safe in environments where group activities are very common. Nebula Ozone solutions can help improve the safety and wellbeing of these dedicated professionals to our country.

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Food Production

Keeping Food Safe, Clean, and Fresh - From Farm to Table

Opportunities to incorporate Ozone Sanitation

Table 1. Summary of results from various lab simulation and commercial hydrocooler survey studies

Ozone Delivery Systems

Wet Ozone Disinfection System

View the process

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Dry Ozone Disinfection System

View the process

Components

Option

Cross section

Process complete

Important Links

Romaine in at least 15 states voluntarily recalled

Ozone as an added protection in food processing chain

Bacterial contamination in fresh produce

Chlorine versus ozone gas for produce sanitation

Salmonella outbreak linked to onions

Nebula Ozone Industries

Ozone for Breweries

Ozone for Healthcare

Ozone for Water Treatment

Ozone for Military & 1st Responders

For more information or to discuss ozone solutions to your sanitization needs, contact us today