By Morten Larsen, CEO & Founder of EcoloxTech and Francine L. Shaw, food safety expert, Founder of Savvy Food Safety, and author of “Who Watches the Kitchen?”
Restaurants – and other food businesses all along the supply chain – must work together to prevent foodborne illnesses and keep foods – and consumers – safer. The statistics are sobering: 48 million people get sick and 3,000 die from foodborne illness in the United States each year. Recently, salmonella-tainted cantaloupe led to a massive, multi-state foodborne illness outbreak, which sickened and even killed consumers. A recall followed.
These food safety breaches are 100% preventable. Food businesses must proactively work to prevent contamination and the damaging, expensive, embarrassing foodborne illnesses that inevitably follow. As we’ve seen, food safety breaches can seriously harm customers, and they can also cause fallout for the food companies involved in the incidents.
A better way to disinfect and sanitize foods and surfaces
Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) has gained significant attention in recent years, becoming more widely known (and used) as a powerful, versatile disinfectant and sanitizer. It’s recognized for its effectiveness in killing bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens, and is particularly effective against pathogens like MRSA, E. coli, COVID, Influenza, and Norovirus. HOCI is compliant with CDC, FDA, and EPA regulations.
If the salmonella-tainted cantaloupe had gone through a HOCL produce wash before being processed, it could have eliminated the pathogens and prevented the ensuing infections, recall, and other damaging, expensive fallout.
Pre-washing produce with HOCl gets rid of dirt, feces, and other contaminants that could sicken consumers. HOCl is non-toxic and 80-100x more potent than bleach, making it a preferred sanitizer choice for many restaurants, grocery stores, processing facilities, and other food businesses. HOCI is expected to gain a more significant following in the coming year.
HOCI offers many significant benefits
HOCI is generated through electrolysis, where salt and water are combined, resulting in a solution that contains hypochlorous acid, a powerful sanitizing agent. Hypochlorous acid is naturally formed in various environments, including the human body, and plays a crucial role in disinfection and protection against pathogens. Increasingly, companies are harnessing its potential for various applications, including disinfection, sanitation, and water treatment.
The benefits of HOCI are significant. It is:
- Effective against pathogens. HOCl is highly effective at killing harmful microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. It’s particularly effective against common foodborne pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria.
- Safe and eco-friendly. HOCl is non-toxic, sustainable, and safe for use on food products. Unlike some other sanitizers that may leave harmful residues, HOCl breaks down into simple saltwater after use, posing no risk to consumers or the environment.
- Chemical-free. HOCl doesn’t contain the harsh chemicals found in many traditional sanitizers, making it safer for workers handling it. Unlike other sanitizers, it reduces the chemical contamination risks for food.
- Rinse-free. Since HOCl doesn’t need to be rinsed off surfaces or food products, it saves time, effort, and water. This is a significant advantage in restaurant and food processing environments, where speed and efficiency are crucial.
- Odorless and tasteless. HOCl doesn’t leave any odor or taste behind, which is essential for maintaining food quality and characteristics.
- HOCl can be used in various applications in restaurants and other food businesses, including direct food contact applications and surface and equipment disinfection.
HOCI is a great choice to use on and around food, and can be used as a dip wash, spray, and fog, depending on the application. Food brands can quickly cover a large area using a ULV Fogger or electrostatic sprayer. Since HOCL is a very strong oxidant, the reaction time compared to bleach, lactic acid and peroxide-based sanitizers is much shorter, even at low concentration.
When using HOCI on food products, be certain that you’re using the appropriate concentration for proper sanitation and disinfection levels. Typically, concentration levels for food sanitation are lower than for other sanitation purposes. When preparing the solution from a concentrate, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Commercially prepared HOCl solutions are also available.
HOCI is compliant with CDC, FDA, and EPA regulations, so check with these food safety authorities for guidelines on using HOCl as a sanitizer on food products to comply with food safety standards.
HOCL is the best option for food businesses
When compared to other sanitizers and disinfectants, HOCI is often considered the preferred choice. For instance, when compared to ozone for food disinfection, HOCI has a longer shelf life, and is generally safer and easier to handle. HOCl can be applied in various ways – as a liquid, spray, or fog – and doesn’t require specialized equipment like ozone does.
Ozone can be hazardous to human health if inhaled in significant quantities, while HOCl is non-toxic, eliminating the risks for respiratory issues. HOCl breaks down into harmless substances (mainly water and salt), whereas ozone can produce harmful by-products in certain conditions.
Additionally, “traditional” sanitizers can’t fully kill certain pathogens, including MRSA. However, HOCI is extremely effective against a wide range of pathogens, such as MRSA, COVID, Influenza, and Norovirus. It’s also very effective against E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria, which are common causes of foodborne illness outbreaks.
Ozone can sometimes leave a distinct smell or taste, particularly in water, but HOCl doesn’t affect the taste and odor of treated products, which is crucial in food processing applications and water treatment.
Restaurants and other food brands must use every tool at their disposal to keep their foods, customers, and businesses safer. HOCI can be a smart way to boost food safety, allowing restaurants and other brands to disinfect effectively, sustainably, and responsibly. If you haven’t tried HOCI to maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene while minimizing the impact on the planet, it’s time to start!
Morten Larsen is CEO & Founder of EcoloxTech, which is leading the way in eco-friendly disinfection solutions, uniquely using Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), a naturally occurring, eco-friendly disinfectant that has gained recognition for its proven effectiveness in killing bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens, including MRSA, E. coli, COVID, Influenza, and Norovirus. EcoloxTech products are effective against 99.99% of all pathogens and 80-100 times more effective than bleach, yet are non-toxic, sustainable, and safe for humans, pets, and the environment. EcoloxTech products are being successfully used in hospitals, foodservice, cruise ships, and more. For more information, please visit https://EcoloxTech.com.
Francine L. Shaw is a food safety specialist, podcaster, founder of Savvy Food Safety, author of “Who Watches the Kitchen?”, and a successful entrepreneur, and speaker who spent 30+ years working in the foodservice industry. Her career has included performing services (operating partner, corporate/private trainer, health inspector, third party inspector, adjunct professor) in various sectors of the foodservice industry. She has written hundreds of articles for national trade magazines and appeared on Dr. Oz, the BBC World Series Radio, and iHeart Radio as a food safety expert.
