Clēan Works Announces New Way to Clean Food Products Without Using Water
Clēan Works is a company in the Niagara Region of Southern Ontario that has developed a new innovative technology that cleans food without using water. The revolutionary process represents a paradigm shift in the way food products are cleaned.
“Our process, with our strict operating procedures, gets rid of almost all contaminants, bacteria and pathogens on food,” says Paul Moyer, co-owner of Clēan Works. “It reduces health risks by making fruits and vegetables safer to consume, increases their shelf life, and saves significantly on water.”
The process developed by Clēan Works – called Clēan Verification – kills harmful pathogens and mold, and helps prevent contaminants from entering the water system. While water alone is only around 50% effective, this process is up to 99.9% effective under the specific conditions. It has been validated by the Food Science Department at the University of Guelph, Canada’s leading agri-food institution.
The method is organic and waterless and takes less than 30 seconds. Using ultraviolet light and vaporized hydrogen peroxide to kill up to 99.9% of pathogens like Listeria, it also allows for compliance with regulations.
With the process, Moyers Apple Products has seen the shelf life of its products increase by up to 25%.
Cleaning Produce at the Microbiological Level
Dr. Keith Warriner, a University of Guelph food scientist who is considered one of Canada’s top authorities in the field, said this takes cleaning to the “microbiological level.” Benefits accrue for the entire agri-food industry – growers, packers and processors, wholesalers, and retailers.
Clēan Works is attracting attention as its innovation moves from lab to market as farmers, processors, and retailers learn of the remarkable sanitizer. Interest has come from industry leaders across North America, including installations in Ontario as well as citrus growers and grape producers in California. The new process has already helped Moyer’s Apple Products increase sales to more than 4,000 grocery stores across North America.
Says Warriner: “Finally, there’s a scientifically validated alternative to washing. I think of Clēan Verification as a firewall between the field and the dinner plate.”
