Synthetic diamonds used to kill off bacteria in food and drink

KILLING OFF bacteria in food is a chemical and energy intensive process in the food and drink industry - but two companies have designed a system to reduce both demands.

UK cleantech Oxy-Tech has collaborated with synthetic diamond and advanced materials company Element Six (E6) to develop a technology that can “destroy” waterborne bacteria and viruses and reduce the reliance on chemicals.

The technology has a wide variety of applications, recently consolidating a successful trial with dairy company Yeo Valley where it was able to maintain milk hygiene standards while reducing chemical and hot water usage by 75%.

Integrated technology

Following significant iterative experiments and improvements, Oxi-Tech’s Pulse Oxidation (PO) system was built around E6’s proprietary boron-doped diamond (BDD) technology. Synthetic diamonds can be doped with boron to make them more electronically conductive.

The whole PO system uses water and low-voltage electricity to create ozone, a natural disinfectant that can kill airborne viruses, diseases, and bacteria.

Paul Morris, CEO of Oxy-Tech, said: “Certified laboratory testing, government sponsored field studies and independently verified characterization tests have ensured the combination of E6’s material and Oxi-Tech’s design remains best in class for chemical free water disinfection via boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrolysis.”

Chemical efficiency

The PO system is mostly used to reduce the use of hot clean-in-place (CIP) chemical washes by replacing them with old pulse oxidation. On top of reducing the need for heat, the system reduces the CO2 emissions produced from producing, transporting and packaging (plastic barrels) the cleaning chemicals.

For applications, Morris said any process that needs a hot water reaction to kick start the process, such as caustic soda cleaners, or acid related disinfection flushes (commonly peracetic acid), can be replaced by this system.

Morris said that independently verified data, such as studies conducted by the UK department for food, environment and rural affairs, “have shown that the system can save heating energy and chemical use equating to around 800 kg per year per robot, on typical dairy farms. Other studies show some five tonnes of carbon per year per dairy farm in the UK. It is unarguably a sustainable technology.”

The companies have taken the system to more industries, including brewing, where Sandford Orchards has integrated it into its bottling CIP process as part of a project with Stratos 3 and DASL in Exeter, resulting in a carbon footprint reduction greater than 4 t/y.