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Case Studies

Del Monte Case Study: 99.8% Ethylene Reduction | Airocide Case Study

AiroCide Photocatalytic Air Purifying Technology in Del Monte Produce Distribution Facility

AiroCide photocatalytic air purifiers contain the same NASA-developed technology used in a variety of AiroCide air purifying product lines. In addition to serving the floral and perishable preservation and food safety industry, the technology has been developed to kill, remove, and 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 (VOC's) in air in a variety of commercial, government, and residential applications including the medical healthcare industry (AiroCide air purifiers are FDA Class II listed medical devices).

Ethylene Gas

Del Monte personnel performed ethylene gas reduction testing prior to the airborne mold/fungi tests summarized in this report. Ethylene gas was reported to have been reduced from a concentration of 350 parts per million to 0.5 PPM in 66 hours — a 99.8% reduction.

Mold/Fungi

The AiroCide PPT system reduced the amount of airborne mold in the cooler by an overall 44% after 72 hours of operation.

Protocol

The AiroCide PPT system used in the produce cooler consisted of one (1) ACS-100 unit. The test period consisted of four (4) days of air sampling. Baseline air samples were taken in the cooler on Monday, 10/02/06, without the AiroCide PPT system operating. Active-on samples were taken after 24, 48, and 72 hours of AiroCide PPT use, on Tuesday 10/03/06, Wednesday 10/04/06, and Thursday 10/05/06. Air samples were taken with an impingement air sampler (similar to the Anderson N6 sampler) on 15 x 100 mm plastic petri dishes in accordance with procedures established by the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) and the American Industrial Hygienists Association (AIHA). This type of slit air sampler is considered the most accurate method of measuring viable (live) mold and is superior to air sampling that utilizes ambient or gravity spore capturing techniques.

Four locations were sampled for airborne yeast and mold and sent to Siliker Inc. Food Science Center, South Holland, IL for analysis.

Results

Ethylene gas was reduced in the cooler by 99.8% in 66 hours. The table below shows airborne mold/fungi reduction inside the cooler of 44% in 72 hours.

Location Baseline 24 hrs 48 hrs 72 hrs
Cooler 1 31.5 6 12 17.5
Percent Change N/A -81% -62% -44%

In Perishable Cooler Applications

  • One (1) AiroCide PPT air purifier model ACS-100 is designed to clean the air in enclosed areas up to 50,000 ft³ in volume (1,415 m³) under standard operating conditions.*
  • One (1) AiroCide PPT air purifier model ACS-50 is designed to clean the air in enclosed areas up to 25,000 ft³ in volume (707 m³) under standard operating conditions.*
  • One (1) AiroCide PPT air purifier model ACS-25 is designed to clean the air in enclosed areas up to 3,000 ft³ in volume under standard operating conditions.*
Del Monte ethylene reduction chart showing decline from 350ppm to 0.5ppm over 66 hours using Airocide technology

*AiroCide PPT air purifier specification requirements may vary according to the temperature and design of enclosure as well as the sensitivity of its contents to airborne mold, bacteria and ethylene gas. In order to obtain a target airborne pathogen reduction of 90% or greater within 48 hours, unit sizing should be selected based on facility volume and contamination load.