Applied food-technology specialist Novazone, is launching PurFresh this week as a solution for reducing decay, controlling over-ripening and enhancing food safety of fresh produce during transit.

The product uses ambient oxygen from outside air and converts it to ozone, a natural form of electrified oxygen. Ozone is delivered continually by Novazone’s PurFresh product into shipping containers, trucks and trains at a specific dosage where its concentrations are carefully maintained in the parts per billion ranges. When properly controlled, ozone is extremely effective in killing microorganisms such as mould, bacteria and viruses that lead to decay and food safety risks. In addition, ozone reacts with ethylene to slow ripening. After doing its work, ozone instantly converts back into pure oxygen leaving no residue and having no impact on product appearance, taste and nutrition.

““With increased trade come longer times to market, multi-party interactions and a greater risk of decay and food safety issues,” said David Cope, president and ceo of US-based Novazone, Inc. “It is estimated that as much as 30 per cent of fresh food is subject to microbial contamination and decay between harvest and the consumer. Imagine if you could use a clean technology such as oxygen to recapture a portion of that loss by stopping decay, extending shelf life and enhancing food safety for all produce shipped globally - this is what PurFresh is all about.”

PurFresh is available globally and for distribution in the UK, and according to Cope it is an ideal solution for grapes, pears, apples, stonefruit, citrus, kiwifruit and tomatoes. As well as regulating ethylene levels it maintains fruit pressure and is suitable for organic produce, having USDA and FDA approval and organic certification.

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