AiroCide air purifying systems: resulting in food safety
Category: Cleaning & Hygiene
Anybody with a bit of common sense would be able to understand the significance of what Tareque Pirzada, President –Global Business of Green Air Technology LLC, has to say, as he expounds the virtues of AiroCide, the air purifying system developed by NASA. Green Air Technology is marketing AiroCide air purifying system in the Middle East region.
Pirzada’s claims can no doubt be substantiated by scientific proof as well. The AiroCide photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) technology, developed as part of NASA’s food growth experiments, is capable of removing ethylene gas that causes the deterioration of vegetables and fruits. The technology uses a “permanently bonded” titanium dioxide membrane to create hydroxyl radicals which are known for killing all pathogens, the end result of which is water vapor and a trace amount of C02. This technology does not use a filter of any kind unlike other air purification systems.
The significance of a system that completely destroys harmful airborne bacteria, mold, fungi, viruses, microbes, and removes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the environment increases in the perishable foods, beverages, horticulture industries, in fact, wherever “clean indoor air” is required.
The AiroCide technology had been successful ever since it was launched in the region, says Pirzada. Green Air Technology follows a policy of conducting a series of laboratory tests for clients wherein internal air at the test site is checked for the presence of bacteria and fungi in terms of CFUs (colony forming units) and then retested with the AiroCide system at work. The test results show a drastic reduction in the total microbial count after the AiroCide system has been installed.
Green Air Technology has also revolutionized the way air sampling is done in the region. The company has introduced the Anderson Sampling technique, which is capable of drawing multiple jets of air containing airborne particles towards the surface of the agar collection media. “The Anderson sampler is capable of drawing even the lighter bacteria onto the growth medium, hence giving a realistic count vis-à-vis the settle plate method that normally draws only the heavier bacteria onto the surface, thereby giving a not-so-realistic count.” says Pirzada.
The Green Air Technology team was able to provide an air sampling test result with the settle plate method showing a count of 20 CFU/m3 and compare it with the test result using the Anderson Sampler which showed a count of 450 CFU/m3 at a test site.
“Having obtained real counts of microbes by the Anderson air sampling method, we were able to show our clients how the Airocide system was able to bring down the total count by as much as 74.4 percent to 95.5 percent CFU/m3 across different test sites.”
Providing a sterile environment for food processing
The laboratory reports, certified by Dubai’s Inspectorate International Laboratory, prove to be conclusive enough for clients to realize the health and commercial benefits of AiroCide. So far, Green Air Technology has been successful in deploying AiroCide units in the Al Maya, Aswaaq, Thimaar and Citimart chain of supermarkets across the UAE.
Based on the air sampling results conducted over many days at test sites, Green Air Technology is able to recommend best practices for food processing companies as well. “Fruits and vegetables with mold should be immediately isolated in a closed room or thrown away for the airborne spores can settle down on fruit and vegetables nearby and contaminate them,” recommends Pirzada.
At various locations in the GCC, the Green Air Technology team was able to show how the bacterial count spiked up when a door to a room is opened and how the AiroCide technology is able to bring it down to near-zero. “We were also able to identify high-risk, low-risk and no-risk areas within a given facility based on the criticality of the operations performed in that area.”
Food processing companies which supply ready-to-eat salads and cut fruits and vegetables to hotels, airlines, and retail outlets carry a big responsibility towards food safety. AiroCide sees to it that the food is perfectly safe before it is packed.
” Most of the fruits and vegetables brought into the facility carry a tremendous amount of mold and bacteria which is then released into the environment, sometimes by the simple act of washing. These contaminants directly affect the quality of the juices as well as drastically shorten the shelf life of the finished products. The quality of food is compromised as both juices and the freshly cut fruits and vegetables are packed with these airborne contaminants that “settle in,” before the bottles and bags are placed in refrigerators.
“The AiroCide technology can provide an operating-room like environment for the food cutting, processing and packaging areas, i.e. air that does not contain airborne bacteria, mold and fungi,” says Pirzada.
Reducing shrink and spoilage
In addition to helping customers attain food safety, AiroCide deployment can bring down the cost of food in the entire “farm to fork” process, so that the price benefits can be passed on to producers, distributors and suppliers and eventually on to the consumer.
According to estimates about 21% percentage of fresh produce is lost to shrink by ethylene gas, 17 % due to spoilage by bacteria and mold, both of which can be taken care of by AiroCide through a longer shelf life and reduced shrinkage.
“Bananas can keep up to 35 days and the shelf of other fruits and vegetables can be extended up to 20 days,” says Pirzada, while stating that AiroCide will soon become a standard part of the refrigeration units of all reefer containers by 2011. The AiroCide technology has been incorporated into the refrigeration units of America’s Sub-Zero of refrigerators so that vegetables and fruits stay crisper and fresher for longer.
“We are trying to close the gaps within the supply chain, look at all those areas which can affect the quality of fresh fruit and vegetables. Ten years ago, it was an inconceivable idea for people to buy pure bottled water. We are doing the same thing with AiroCide, providing “bottled air” for all environments which will eventually help put more food on the table, for more people” says Pirzada.
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The AiroCide technology had been successful ever since it was launched in the region, says Pirzada. Green Air Technology follows a policy of conducting a series of laboratory tests for clients wherein internal air at the test site is checked for the presence of bacteria and fungi in terms of CFUs (colony forming units) and then retested with the AiroCide system at work. The test results show a drastic reduction in the total microbial count after the AiroCide system has been installed.
Providing a sterile environment for food processing
Reducing shrink and spoilage
