3 replies to this topic

[tKc74]

Hi, we're considering using an Ozone Chamber like the one described below to facilitate the movement of goods from low-risk to high-care areas:

 

Website - https://soshygiene.c...er-disinfection

 

Video - Ozone Transfer Chamber for Low risk to High Care Transfer

 

The concept involves creating a single, large chamber to facilitate the entry of all items into the facility (excluding personnel).

 

High-risk food items (such as pre-cooked chicken) are decartonized down to their bags in the low-risk area, then placed into bins that are wheeled into this chamber.

 

Everything else, including goods, equipment, consumables, and parts (both mechanical and electrical) can also be brought into this chamber. All items need to be exposed to ozone.

 

Once ozoned, all products, including the chicken and their bins, can move freely throughout the high-care facility. This eliminates the need for a sanitization tunnel with a small access point.

 

Constructive criticism is welcome. This approach would meet the 6-log reduction with the correct ppm and duration.

 

A few questions:

1. How does loading/unloading the room work with forklifts?

• ​Could forklifts from the low-risk side contaminate the chamber? If something is on the wheels, could it be dragged through? Even after ozoning, could the high-care side pick up contaminants? Can the room be scrubbed each time from the high-care side? Similarly, once sanitized, can bins from low-risk move through high-care/high-risk areas?

 

2. Would this setup work for transitioning from low-risk to high-risk areas?

 

Regards,

[Laura982]

Hi TKc74

 

 

I'm not this helps with your questions but we have recently put ozone into our factory, we are putting product on a transfer belt taking it into a chiller. It's then turned on in the evening for all product to be o zoned prior to use the next day. As sanitising into HR has been high lighted as a CCP were wondering if this should be a CCP and how we manage it!

[GMO]

I would be very wary about that website suggestion where you are decontaminating in a room like that.

 

Traditional sanitising tunnels have advantages and disadvantages:

 

Advantages

• Everything is removed off racking with no external packaging apart from a plastic layer.  This reduces equipment cross contamination risk.
• That plastic layer is then disinfected with a solution.  That solution also rinses off any dust.  This means the disinfectant can penetrate.

 

Disadvantages

• They can be messy.
• Items not wrapped in plastic cannot go through.
• It's not well known but it takes 20 minutes normally to assure disinfection.  It's not necessarily instant.

 

But these are the potential risks and benefits of that system as I see it:

 

Advantages

• No deracking so that will save labour.  Your ops team will love it.  Reduced manual handling and cost.

 

Disadvantages

• The ozone will penetrate to a degree but I'd want to see evidence that where bags are touching racks that it could adequately disinfect the surface.
• It will not penetrate into the internal mechanisms of wheels which are notorious for Listeria.  This would risk transfer to your high care area. 
• It will not wash off dust or debris.  Will the ozone penetrate this?  I'd need to be convinced.
• The safety system if failed could be a serious injury or fatality.  
• You're creating a corridor from low risk into high care / high risk.  That could be abused.
• You will lose colour control methods and won't know whether kit in high care / risk has been brought in appropriately.

 

I think it's a big claim that reduces cross contamination.  I could see the validity in ambient / dry high care manufacture where keeping the zone dry is really important.  But I'm not sure I'd see it as anything but a risk in a traditional wet chilled environment.

[GMO]

Hi TKc74

 

 

I'm not this helps with your questions but we have recently put ozone into our factory, we are putting product on a transfer belt taking it into a chiller. It's then turned on in the evening for all product to be o zoned prior to use the next day. As sanitising into HR has been high lighted as a CCP were wondering if this should be a CCP and how we manage it!

 

Ozone has been much touted over the years but often I have found it's actually hydrochlorous acid produced in situ not ozone or that it's just too expensive.

 

It would be great to hear your experiences with it and if it's been worth it.  Now you have some months of data have you reviewed the results?

Would I make it a CCP?  No.  Probably easier for you to share why you think it is and I'll explain more.