peracetic acid reduces pathogenic bacteria in fruits and vegetables

Peroxides for hygienic food processing

Fruit and Vegetable Processing

Freshly cut fruits and vegetables are critical foods necessary to maintain good health. Their freshness and safety — from harvest in the field through post-harvest treatment and transit to the dinner table — are supported by the use of microbial control agents to reduce pathogenic bacteria, decay, and spoilage organisms.

How do peroxides act in fruit and vegetable processing?

Hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid are powerful and sustainable products that disinfect equipment and process water to address pathogens of concern, such as staphyloccus, E.coli, salmonella, and listeria. 

The chemistry can also be used to treat agricultural and irrigation water systems to control sulfides, odor, slime and algae in sand filters, humidification systems, storage tanks, ponds, reservoirs, canals. And after their powerful antimicrobial and antibacterial action, hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid break down into purely natural substances, mostly just oxygen and water. That means they leave no harmful chemical residues on food or surfaces, nor in the environment.

Evonik's EPA-registered peracetic acid products are formulated for superior stability and performance in the treatment of fruits and vegetables, from the sanitization of harvesting equipment to the treatment of washwaters for post-harvest vegetables. Our versatile peroxide products are approved for organic farming and always accompanied by our technical expertise in fruit and vegetable production chemistries.

Product Overview

VIGOROX® 15 F&V is a peracetic acid-based, microbial control agent for use in process waters that contact fruits and vegetables to reduce pathogenic bacteria, decay, and spoilage organisms.

Another use is sanitization and disinfection of hard surfaces and processing equipment to treat pathogens including staphyloccus, E.coli, salmonella and listeria. The chemistry may also be used for treatment of agricultural and irrigation water systems to control sulfides, odor, slime and algae in sand filters, humidification systems, storage tanks, ponds, reservoirs, and canals.

VIGOROX® Citrus XA is a peracetic acid-based antimicrobial used predominantly for surface treatment to control the spread of citrus canker. Its applications include field equipment sanitization, fogging, final sanitizing bottle rinse, surface sanitization of conveyors, peelers, slicers and saws for fruits and vegetables, treatment of processing waters of fresh-cut, post-harvest or processed fruits and vegetables, and treatment of raw, unprocessed fruit and vegetable surfaces.

VIGOROX® LS-15 is an EPA-registered single component peracetic acid-based microbial agent that is used for institutional and industrial sanitization and disinfection. It has applications for food contact surfaces and equipment, beverage plant equipment, in food processing and packing plants, as well as at eating establishments.

OXYPURE® BIO is a highly efficient, peracetic acid-based product used for disinfection in the food industry, animal housing, water installations and institutional and industrial cleaning. The product is effective at treating a broad range of microorganisms at a wide range of temperatures across a variety of industries.

OXYPURE® BIO has proven a highly efficient biocide for use in the food industry, where it can be applied for aerial disinfection and non porous surfaces, equipment, piping systems, and CIP systems. It is an effective biocide for use in animal houses, equipment in contact with livestock, incubation rooms, handling, and transportation equipment. The product is applied as a biocide treatment in water installations, which are frequently contaminated with legionella pneumophila, including water distribution installations, cooling water, cooling towers, and air conditioning systems. For environmental use, OXYPURE® BIO can be applied as spray, nebulization, immersion, or brushing to surfaces in general, walls, and floors in public spaces, institutional or industrial.

  • OXYPURE® BIO-5% and OXYPURE® BIO-15%
    OXYPURE® BIO is used to disinfect surfaces that will be in contact with food such as fruit juice, beer, wine and produce, and to disinfect surfaces and tools used in the meat and fish industries.
  • OXYPURE® BIO-5-V and OXYPURE® BIO-15-V
    OXYPURE® BIO V is a highly-effective, fast-acting biocide for use in animal houses, equipment in contact with livestock, incubation rooms, and handling and transportation equipment. It can be used in animal houses with cattle, poultry, goats, pigs, etc.
  • OXYPURE® BIO-5 CT-L and OXYPURE® BIO-15 CT-L
    OXYPURE® BIO CT-L is a biocide for treatment of legionella pneumophila for the maintenance of cooling water related equipment. The product is applied in water installations that are frequently contaminated with legionella pneumophila, like water distribution installations, cooling water, cooling towers, and air conditioning systems.

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