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Ozone generators can be used to sterilize and sanitize food and other surfaces. Ozone generators are generally safe for use in the home and can be found in many facilities like grocery stores, food processing plants etc. This blog posts focuses on the use of ozone for food safety in Japan. Continue reading to learn more!

After chlorine, ozone has the most powerful oxidizing effect. This quality has been utilized in sterilization for food and processing facilities in Japan since it is the most potent oxidizer. Furthermore, there are no residual worries when compared with chlorine-based sterilizers, and no hazardous trihalomethanes are produced.

Ozone’s advantages have driven it to be used in water and air treatment for food products, as well as food materials and food processing plants. In Japan, use of ozone in foods is on the rise. 

Ozone for Food Safety in Japan

There are currently 500 or more ozonated gas or water treatment systems in the food industry throughout Japan, as well as over 100,000 food treatment facilities. This broad application is a testimony to the effectiveness and usefulness of ozone in the food sector. [1]

The excellent features include low energy consumption, high ozone concentrations with less dust generation, and no required maintenance. Ozone generators with these characteristics are highly practical for producing economical amounts of ozone. The usage of these devices in food processing, food preservation, and drinking water treatment is on the rise.

The major advantages of ozone, which has drawn the attention of the food industry, include its effectiveness in sanitizing and preventing disease-causing bacteria such as Listeria. Ozone is one of the most efficient sanitizers for destroying lactic acid bacteria (much food spoilage is caused by these bacteria) in food manufacturing facilities. When excess ozone is present, it self-decomposes to form oxygen and leaves no residues behind in the food.

In the view of the mechanism of the effect of ozone, which involves oxidation and denaturation of cell walls and cytoplasmic membranes, differences in sensitivity to ozone are probably due to variations in cell wall structure. Perhaps first, ozone acts on the cell’s DNA directly by oxidizing and disintegrating its cell walls and cytoplaspheric membranes.

If so, the bacteria will not become resistant to ozone. Ozone was rapidly destroyed, leaving no traces. Because of the findings above, the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare has approved use of ozone as a food additive.

The food industry of Japan, especially for disinfecting food surfaces, food-processing equipment, and instruments, is increasingly relying on ozonated water. The sanitizer is more effective against Corynebacterium bacteria, E. coli bacteria, and Lactic acid bacteria at low concentrations.

Ozonated water is less hazardous than ozone gas in terms of health concerns. Various firms have developed high-concentration ozonated water manufacturing equipment for its effective use. The fast growth in the food sector provides ample incentive for Japanese researchers to continue studying ozone usage in this field.