Hanovia launches UV food sanitation system
UV system, a low-cost device designed specifically for small-flow
industrial process and water applications (up to 120 m3/hr) in the
food and beverage industries.
The system was developed using high-end computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling software and according to Hanovia meets industry's most stringent quality requirements. Biodosimetric testing - using a microorganism for which the UV dose-response curve can be determined accurately in a collimated beam apparatus - was also undertaken in Austria to validate the performance of the products.
In both the US and the EU, water must be disinfected before it can be used in food processing. UV rays are often used to disinfect, and many scientists are confident that this process can effectively deactivate E. coli bacteria by degrading their cell walls and DNA.
In fact, researchers in Canada, whose findings were published in the Journal of Science of Food and Agriculture found that, in direct contrast to pasteurisation, the sensory quality of the food products following UV irradiation was not compromised, and that inactivation of the bacteria lasted for the entire shelf life of the product.
Heat pasteurisation can often affect both the flavour and consistency of food.
The Quantum has a radical new design, with the UV lamp positioned at a 30o angle to the flow to maximise contact time. Hanovia claims that this in-line design minimises headloss and ensures optimum disinfection by ensuring all the fluid passing through the chamber receives the minimum required UV dose.
In addition, power per unit length is lower so the UV lamp will last longer. The design also allows quick and easy lamp replacement.
A novel feature of the Quantum is its local control unit, which displays UV intensity, alarms and an hours-run counter. This unit can be positioned in wet areas, adjacent to the UV chamber, while the power unit can be located up to 30 metres away in a dry area. Options with the Quantum include a manual wiper and auto-bleed facilities.
Hanovia says that as the system is so compact, installation is simple and can usually be done within existing pipework with minimal disruption to the plant.
There has been a notable degree of opposition to using UV to disinfect foods on both sides of the Atlantic, with fears that the process could be dangerous. However advocates of irradiation maintain that the technology is safe and that it successfully eliminating harmful bacteria.
