Food & Beverage

In an increasingly regulated and safety-conscious market, the food and beverage industries have to meet ever more stringent standards of quality. Microbial growth due to contaminated water or ingredients can cause discoloration, off flavors and shortened shelf-life. The threat of contamination is further increased as manufacturers respond to demands for less chemical additives and preservatives. Effective microbial disinfection of the whole process is therefore essential.

Most process water originates from the municipal drinking water supply and is therefore safe for human consumption. In many cases, however, it is not pure enough for processes such as food and beverage manufacturing, which require water of a higher quality. Processes like HACCP and GMP require a reduction of hazards during the production process, and direct or indirect contact of foodstuffs with process water adds a level of hazard which must be controlled or eliminated.  This means that further, on-site water treatment is usually required.

A non-chemical disinfection method which is gaining increasing acceptance is UV disinfection, which kills all known spoilage microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, yeasts and moulds (and their spores). It is a low maintenance, environmentally friendly technology which eliminates the need for chemical treatment while ensuring high levels of disinfection.

UV has many advantages over alternative methods. Unlike chemical treatment, UV does not introduce toxins or residues into process water and does not alter the chemical composition, taste, odor or pH of the fluid being disinfected.

UV treatment can be used for primary water disinfection or as a back-up for other water purification methods such as carbon filtration, reverse osmosis or pasteurization. As UV has no residual effect, the best position for a treatment system is immediately prior to the point of use. This ensures incoming microbiological contaminants are destroyed and there is a minimal chance of post-treatment contamination.

The temperature of process water plays a very important role with the choice of UV lamp technology. Medium pressure UV lamps, like the Aquionics MultiWave^® lamp, are not influenced by water temperature and should always be used if large temperature fluctuations occur as part of the process.