Maintenance, Health & Safety Solids Handling & Processing

Key Points to UV Success

Phil Black - PII Editor 10/04/2019

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Disinfection of water and flavour concentrates is critical to ensure that products have a long shelf life. Traditional oxidising biocides can produce by-products including trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and bromates.

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation has become the food and drink sector’s technology of choice. Unlike chemical disinfectants, UV treatment does not introduce any residual agents or by-products nor does it change the chemical or organoleptic properties.

To ensure consistent performance, your UV system has to be properly designed so you need to provide your UV supplier with five key items of information. First the flow rate: the maximum, average and minimum and the pattern of use. Second is whether the flow is continuous or intermittent.

Third, the liquid characteristics – UV is effective not only for water but is also used to treat sugar syrup. Fourth, the type of microorganisms to be destroyed so that the UV dose can be determined.

Finally the reaction chamber. It should be third party validated to a recognised test protocol, such as that set out in the US EPA 2006 Ultraviolet Disinfection Guidance Manual.

Further guidance can be found here