Flume water microbial control at a US apple packer
Flume water microbial control is a constant problem in apple packing, where bins and fruit bring dirt in and bacteria and fungi sit at 10³ to 10⁷ cfu/mL. The usual answer is more chlorine or more peracetic acid, and this US packer was running its treatment tank at 40 to 50 ppm chlorine. One HydroFLOW® unit was fitted first to the 6 inch T-Dump recirculation pipe for a PAA reduction trial, then moved to the treatment tank for a chlorine trial. Counts fell by several orders of magnitude at lower PAA doses, and non-detect results held at 10 ppm chlorine instead of 40 to 50. Counts came back when the unit was switched off.
The Challenge
- Flume water microbial control remained inconsistent in heavily fouled water
- Dirt and debris entered with bins and fruit
- Bacteria and fungi remained at 10³ to 10⁷ cfu/mL
- Pathogens and decay organisms required control
- The Treatment Tank was running 40 to 50 ppm chlorine
The Solution
- Unit installed: one HydroFLOW® unit
- Installation point: 6 inch T-Dump recirculation pipe, then the Treatment Tank
- Trial: PAA reduction trial, then chlorine reduction trial
- Previous treatment: 40 to 50 ppm chlorine in the Treatment Tank
Flume water microbial control was tested in two stages with the same unit. It ran first on the T-Dump recirculation pipe while PAA doses were lowered, then on the Treatment Tank while chlorine came down from 40 to 50 ppm to 10 ppm. Microbial counts were tracked at each stage, and the signal was switched off to see whether they returned. Staff also reported lighter wall debris that was easier to clean.
