Food Processing & Agriculture

Chlorine dioxide is used in agriculture as a preharvest algicide, sporicide, germicide, disinfectant, and sanitizer in irrigation, livestock production, and for equipment and food contact surfaces, and in facilities. Chlorine dioxide treatment offers an eco-friendlier opportunity to capture and recycle irrigation runoff while providing better disease management, the elimination of biofilms (found in pressurized irrigation lines, non-pressurized recirculation system return lines, containment vessels, holding tanks, fertilizer lines, etc.), and algae control. Biofilms pose an incredibly difficult obstacle to farmers as common fertilizer injection can accelerate biofilm growth in fertilizer lines; irrigation water and infrastructure that has been treated with chlorine dioxide can improve crop yield by removing and preventing biofilm growth in both the irrigation systems and fertilizer lines where other disinfecting agents cannot and without producing byproducts that harm plants and crops.

Chlorine dioxide is an FDA-approved antimicrobial used within the following post-harvesting sectors:

In post-harvest treatment, biofilms, which can form quickly in food industry environments and cause food-borne illnesses through both contaminated food and equipment, pose one of the biggest challenges to food processors in ensuring these foods meet health regulations; chlorine dioxide treatment is capable of destroying these biofilms over a wide pH range and preventing their growth without the strong odor and corrosive qualities of other disinfecting agents. Since chlorine dioxide does not produce toxic byproducts and is extremely powerful at eliminating pathogens, more so than other disinfecting agents, it is used in much smaller quantities—a more economical and environmentally friendly choice to offset the negative impact caused by food processing facilities. Chlorine and bromide treatments, on the other hand, which produce carcinogenic trihalomethanes that get washed down the drain and into our environment, are much more corrosive to equipment and can harm soil and add toxic deposits to the ground. Chlorine dioxide simply breaks down to water, oxygen, and chloride (as found in table salt) and leaves little to no chemical residue on treated foods.

Crops & Produce

Microorganisms and biofilms that exist within the irrigation system can block the smooth flow of water to crops, contaminate irrigation water, and cause damage to crops and yield. Other disinfecting agents such as chlorine may not be able to provide sufficient biocidal treatment as effectively as chlorine dioxide, and higher quantities of such treatments can be toxic to plant growth. Excessive chlorine compounds found in irrigation systems, for example, can increase chances of phytotoxicity—injury to a plant caused by exposure to chemicals or other toxins that can impair the plant’s physiological processes. Chlorine dioxide disinfection, however, has been shown to not only reduce microorganisms that cause food spoilage and food-borne illnesses in irrigation water but also generate no harmful effects on soil and crops. It can be further used to remove pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, etc.) in agricultural products and in water (isoproturon, diuron, etc.). For the post-harvest handling of fruits, veggies, nuts, etc., both processed and unprocessed, chlorine dioxide is a great anti-microbial pesticide, sanitizer, and/or disinfectant. It is used during the transporting of these perishable foods (in chlorine dioxide treated water) and in food preparation applications to reduce spoilage and pathogenic organisms like bacteria, viruses, yeasts, and molds in order to extend shelf-life with no requirement for post-treatment rinse. It is typically applied as a gas—manufactured just prior to use due to its unstable nature—either as a dissolved gas in water (less volatility) or through direct contact with food, which can better enter difficult-to-reach places that may harbor harmful pathogens like wounds and stem scars—the point where produce is picked. Any chlorine dioxide molecules that are not consumed during surface sanitation escape into the air for further deodorization and elimination of microorganisms that cause food spoilage and potential recontamination. It is also added to dump tanks (large produce washing bins).

Treating fruits with small amounts of chlorine dioxide has been shown to reduce soft rot decay and retain the firmness of several fresh fruits such as strawberries, plums, apricots, and mangoes. Freshly cut fruits and vegetables or ones that are peeled, sliced, chopped, etc. are particularly susceptible to pathogenic contamination and the development of biofilms because of the increased area of damaged tissue. Through chlorine dioxide disinfection, you can generally expect the following: a reduction in potential foodborne illness, a decrease in microbial spoilage, the preservation of nutritional quality and signs of freshness, and the absence of dangerous levels of toxins or toxic by-products.

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Dairy Processing, Livestock, Poultry, and Seafood

Chlorine dioxide is commonly used within animal husbandry for a less corrosive and harmful disinfecting alternative that helps to prevent cross-contamination between meats and provides sanitation to equipment, facilities, and to feed water and the widely branched piping systems that feed water travels through. Its ability to control biofilm and pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella, etc., which can proliferate on meats, especially during harvesting, makes it useful for improving feed conversion ratio and reducing mortality and disease in dairy farms, livestock and poultry farms, and fish farms. Eliminating pathogens and biofilms in livestock environments and in animal feed water limits the need to treat sick animals with antibiotics that leave antibiotic residue—one of the biggest concerns in food industries—in meats, milk, etc., which are not safe for human consumption. Proper chlorine dioxide disinfection may further increase milk yield by keeping animals healthy and can reduce somatic cell count in milk, an indicator of infection in cows. In fish farms, contaminated water creates a toxic environment with high levels of ammonia and nitrogen, pathogens, and THMs (a by-product of certain disinfecting products), that may lead to reduced yields and batch rejections. While efficacy depends on factors such as contact time and concentration, only small quantities are needed to destroy pathogens and biofilms, even ones that have developed resistance against other disinfecting agents.

Biofilm development on wet surfaces and pipes in food processing can advance food spoilage and contaminate meat and dairy products. Using chlorine dioxide disinfection can help to extend shelf life without affecting taste, quality, color, and/or other indicators of food freshness. In cow milk, Chlorine dioxide treatment is used to reduce Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae and extend shelf life. Furthermore, chlorine dioxide treated Atlantic salmon and red groupers, for example, have been shown not to have accelerated lipid oxidation nor a reduction in omega-3 fatty acids.