Floral Pre-Cooler

Airocide PPTTM Perishables Preservation Technology
Airocide PPTTM photocatalytic air purifiers contain the same NASA-developed technology that is used in a variety of Airocide product lines. In addition to serving the food safety industry as well as in floral and perishable preservation Airocide technology has been developed to kill/remove/eliminate airborne pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms in vegetative and spore states (bacteria, mold, fungi, viruses and dust mites), allergens, odors and harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air in a variety of commercial, government and residential market applications including the medical healthcare industry (Airocide is listed as an FDA Class II Medical Device).

Summary

A clinical study of the Airocide PPT airborne pathogen killing technology was conducted in the Pre-Cooler at Esmeralda Farms’ facility in Miami, FL. The data supports the hypothesis that airborne mold and bacteria levels would be lowered after 48 hours of continuous operation of the Airocide PPT air purifying system. The results showed a significant reduction in airborne pathogens just 24 hours. There was an average airborne mold reduction of 95.45% after a 72-hour period and an average airborne bacteria reduction of 73.18% in the same time frame.

Protocol

The Pre-Cooler where the test took place is approximately 4205 m³. The test period consisted of two (2) days of air sampling in November 2004. Active On samples were taken in both locations after 24, 48 and 72 hours of use. Air samples were taken for comparison in the Main Cooler and Shipping Area. Air samples were taken with a slit air sampler (similar to the Andersen N6 sampler) on 15 x 100 mm plastic petri dishes. All samples were cultured by Aerotech Laboratories in Phoenix, AZ. All agar plates were exposed to 28.3 l/m of air for 3 minutes. The results were measured in colony forming units (CFU) per cubic meter of air (CFU: the number of viable bacteria or fungal cells in a sample capable of reproduction).

Results

The table bellow shows airborne mold reduction at two sites inside the Pre-Coolers of 60% and 79.83%, or an average of 73.18% in 72 hours. A significant reduction was realized in just 24 hours.