Ozone Whole Room Disinfection for the prevention of E.coli in Food Factories.

In 2024 in the UK alone there has been more than 200 reported cases of the E.coli infections. The first half of the year saw many press releases warning Britons not to eat certain ready to eat products like sandwiches, wraps and salads sold in major supermarkets, over fears they are linked to an E.coli outbreak. 

Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria are normally found in the intestines of healthy people and animals. Most types of E. coli are harmless. However, in the 1980s, a new strain of E. coli appeared – STEC, short for Shiga Toxin-producing E. coli, also known as E. coli O157: H7. As the name suggests, this strain produces a poison.

 E. coli O157 is usually passed on from raw or under cooked meats, as well as from eating vegetable or salads or drinking water or unpasteurised milks that become contaminated. You can also catch it from direct contact with an infected person or animal.Recovery from an infection with E.coli O157:H7 for a healthy adult is usually within a week, but young children and older adults have a greater risk of developing a life-threatening form of kidney failure. So, while E.coli is not universally poisonous, certain strains can indeed pose health risks.

Reduce the risk of E.coli following these steps;

1. Properly clean and disinfect food contact work surfaces and equipment

2. Handle raw foods carefully to reduce the risk of cross contaminating other       foods or surfaces

3. Chill foods at the correct temperature

4. Ensure food is cooked thoroughly

5. Consume foods by their Use by Date

6. Wash your hands thoroughly before preparing, cooking or eating foods. After using the toilet, changing nappies or petting animals.

Whole Room Disinfection using gaseous ozone to disinfect food production facilities is an effective tool to mitigate the risk of E.coli in the food chain. Following a daily debris removal and clean, ozone gas can be pumped into the production room to eradicate E.coli and other pathogens. Ozone unlike traditional chemical fogging, is a gas which can penetrate all surfaces including high level machinery, hard to reach equipment and drains, ensuring the production facility is thoroughly disinfected. The treatment is fully automated and 

In test conditions completed at Campden BRi, the whole-room ozone process significantly reduced all obligatory bacterial species identified in EN17272 as the minimum requirement to demonstrate bactericidal activity. The process applied also demonstrated efficacy in reducing Candida albicans.

For more information on the SOS Hygiene Whole Room Disinfection Technology contact us on 0161 221 2231 or info@soshygiene.com