Ozone Considerations & Safety
- Ozone is a non-residual sanitizer. It does not replace the need to clean.
- The colder the water, the better the ozone gas will bind to water.
- Ozone is corrosive to rubber. If you have rubber gaskets in your equipment that will come into contact with ozonated water, you should swap them out for Viton or EP.
- There is no benefit to having a stronger concentration of ozone than needed. To effectively reduce bacteria in food processing, the concentration of dissolved ozone in water should be around 1 – 2 Parts Per Million depending on the type of application, contact time and other factors. A concentration that is too strong offers no additional benefit and may lead to off-gassing.
- The OSHA limits for exposure to ozone gas in the air is not to exceed .1 ppm in the air over an 8 hour work shift. Ozone gas levels above .3 ppm irritate the respiratory tract and mucous membranes of the eye.
- Test aqueous ozone levels daily at outlets / dispensing points to ensure that the concentration of ozone gas in the water is not too weak or too strong. Keep records for your HACCP plan.