Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-06-29 Origin: Site
Food safety, shelf life, and the overall quality of fresh produce can benefit immensely from the proper implementation of ozone in aqueous form within industrial washing plants. Ozone is highly effective at eliminating the most common food-borne microorganisms that cause spoilage and illness. There is a great deal of research and real-world application proving ozone's efficacy in the inactivation of Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes, alongside other common pathogens found in agricultural harvests.
In a washing plant setting, ozone is dissolved into the wash water to create a versatile and safe aqueous solution. This ozonated water is used directly in wash flumes, sprayed on produce during conveyor transport, or used to sanitize the processing equipment itself.
The use of a Flygoo ozone generator in vegetable and fruit processing offers the following benefits:
Excellent antimicrobial ability – Ozone has the highest oxidation potential of commercially available disinfectants; bacteria and fungi cannot create an immunity to ozone.
Pesticide reduction – Ozone effectively oxidizes and breaks down chemical pesticide residues on the surface of vegetables and fruits.
Lack of chemical residuals – Ozone reverts safely to oxygen, leaving no chemical residue, off-tastes, or odors on the produce.
No chemical storage – Ozone is generated on-site by the Flygoo system; there are no dangerous or expensive chemicals to handle, store, or purchase continually.
Water conservation and reuse – Ozone oxidizes organic matter in the wash water, serving as a micro-flocculant. This keeps the flume water cleaner for longer, allowing for extended water reuse and lower environmental discharge costs.
Synergistic benefits – Ozone can be used alongside other Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to offer an excellent synergy in overall facility hygiene.
Ozone has been granted GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) approval by the FDA and USDA. Having GRAS status means the use of ozone can be implemented in direct food contact with no strict regulation on the residual levels, provided good manufacturing procedures are in place. Ozone is universally recognized in food processing worldwide.
Ozone has been approved for use in agricultural processing by the National Organic Program (NOP). Ozone can be used for wash water sanitation and direct contact with 100% organic fruits and vegetables without compromising the product's Organic rating.
To treat vegetables and fruits, ozone must be dissolved in water to form an aqueous ozone solution, commonly referred to as Ozonated Water. Because ozone has a short half-life and reverts quickly to oxygen, it must be prepared on-site and continuously injected into the wash line.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution for produce washing, but a properly integrated Flygoo system ensures reliable, consistent results.
System Integration and Setup For industrial environments, durability and proper injection are key. The Flygoo ozone generator is built to withstand wet, demanding facility conditions.
See equipment setup: ozone generator for washing plant (1).jpg
To dissolve the gas efficiently, the ozone is introduced into the water line using a Venturi injection system and a booster pump. This creates a strong vacuum that shears the ozone gas into micro-bubbles, maximizing the dissolved ozone levels in the water before it reaches the main wash tank.
See injection manifold: ozone generator for washing plant (4).jpg See complete system connection: ozone generator for washing plant (6).jpg
Using the proper ozone levels in the wash water is vitally important. Too little ozone will do little more than washing with clean water, while optimized levels ensure rapid microbial kill rates.
For vegetable and fruit wash flumes, we suggest maintaining a dissolved ozone level between 1.0 ppm and 3.0 ppm. Because the produce is submerged and agitated in the flume, contact times are generally longer than a quick surface spray, allowing lower concentrations of ozone to achieve massive bacterial log reductions.
Water is the carrier of ozone in these applications. The ozonated water must come into direct and sufficient contact with the surface of every vegetable or fruit. In an industrial washing plant, this is typically achieved by piping the highly concentrated ozonated water directly into the agitation tank.
See water routing: ozone generator for washing plant (5).jpg
As the produce is dumped into the flume, the water's movement ensures that the ozonated water washes away dirt while simultaneously sanitizing the skin of the product. The continuous flow of ozone into the tank also sanitizes the flume water itself, preventing cross-contamination between different batches of vegetables or fruits.
See produce in wash flume: ozone generator for washing plant (2).jpg See conveyor transport post-wash: ozone generator for washing plant (3).jpg
Note: Aqueous ozone solutions decay over time. Continual injection into the wash tank is required during operation, as the ozone will be heavily consumed by the initial heavy organic loads (dirt, soils, and organics) washed off the fresh harvest.
Beyond washing the produce, Flygoo ozone systems are heavily utilized during plant downtime. The same ozonated water used for the wash flume can be routed to handheld spray hoses to wash down conveyor belts, sorters, cutting machinery, and facility floors, ensuring a completely sanitized processing environment for the next shift.
Contact Us Implementing ozone into your existing washing plant requires proper sizing and engineering. Flygoo offers robust, industrial-grade ozone systems tailored for agricultural facilities. If you desire more info on how to integrate ozone into your specific washing application, please contact our team for a consultation.
To learn more about ozone generators , please contact Flygoo Ozone Sales :
