The European outbreak of E. coli, traceable to produce such as tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers, has understandably sparked great public concern. For produce we recommend a multi-prong attack to fight E. coli, including washing raw fruits and vegetables with clean water before use. This reduces bacteria numbers on produce.
Birko’s Veggiexide™ is a patented antimicrobial intervention for fruit and vegetable processors that stops gram negative pathogens at first rinse and keeps them from traveling deeper into the processing operation. It has demonstrated a 2.4 log reduction (99.6%) of gram negative enteric bacteria and aerobic (spoilage) bacteria in direct application to edible food products. Veggiexide™ is a food-grade, GRAS, organic acid blend antimicrobial with no perceived taste profile.
Our other products for produce include general and multi-purpose cleaners such as Acid Brite #2, designed to remove mineralization (scale) in facilities with hard water, and Neutra Sol™, a slightly alkaline solution that removes fats and soils from porous and non-porous surfaces. We also recommend several sanitizers and disinfectants, such as Algae Guard™, a controlled-release, condensate drip pan micro-biocide for refrigeration units, and Birk-Ox™, an iodophor-based sanitizer.
See our product list for more information on special purpose chemicals, hand soaps, and other aids for produce.
