L A B O R AT O RY & T E S T I N G S E R V I C E S
Eco-friendly ECA CIP for good hygiene practises Radical Waters is a prominent supplier of electrochemically activated (ECA) water technology. The company has spent more than 20 years developing and commercialising this patented technology. Food Review looks at some of the benefits of using this technology in the food and beverage industry.
D
ozens of patents have been granted to Radical Waters. Industries such as meat
processing, beverage manufacture, CIP processes, treatment of raw grains and starches, dentistry, sterilising of medical and healthcare equipment and microbial resistance management all fall within its ever-expanding portfolio. The company has installed and maintains ECA technology in 27 countries over six continents, primarily for blue-chip companies, with some
“Companies need to consider the risks involved of using generic CIP chemicals that can alter taste, stain and damage equipment and even be of potential harm to the product and the consumer”
very high-profile clients like Coca-Cola,
avoided altogether,” enthuses VP marketing & ops Nikki Wilson. “For the CIP process, we can look at beverage manufacturing and breweries as an example. ECA solutions are generated onsite with an ECA generator, and then used to clean and sanitise the tanks and equipment used in the beverage and brewing process – filling equipment, syrup lines, syrup tanks and bright beer tanks,” she points out. “During the process, several savings and benefits are proven, such as the catholyte solution being utilised to
Danone Water China, Suntory, aQuellé
of between approximately 400PPM to
replace caustic detergents while
and Valpré – along with several others.
1 000PPM. This can be used to clean
the anolyte can be used to replace the
with the second solution, a disinfectant
products traditionally used
The goal at Radical Waters is to continue to promote good
called anolyte, used to disinfect
hygiene practice. This is
and sanitise.
particularly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic. ECA hygiene generators produce natural and safe hygiene solutions on-site for the food and
DID YOU KNOW?
Anolyte is a
Anolyte is a hypochlorous acid solution with a neutral pH of around 6.7 and between 170PPM to 500PPM of free available chlorine depending on the device’s configuration.
beverage industries. Before the introduction of ECA technology in hygiene applications, the industry was
the factory, not only for CIP.
solution with a neutral
This eliminates the need for
pH of around 6.7 and
surface-specific chemicals
between 170PPM to
and is extremely relevant
500PPM of free
in the age of COVID-19
available chlorine
as ECA is non-toxic to
depending on the
plant personnel.”
device’s configuration. The two solutions are also compatible, so rinsing between applications is no longer needed. Radical Waters has seen
chemicals for controlling contamination
that these solutions are particularly
and bacterial infection.
effective in the CIP process because
Radical Waters ECA generators produce
the products are non-toxic and 100% natural and safe to use with foodstuffs. “ECA is such an efficient cleaning
two solutions. The first works by
and sanitising agent that it has
running an electrical current through
started to replace the widespread
a weak brine mixture and the use of a
use of chemicals in CIP. This means
detergent known as catholyte. This is a
that the consumption of harmful and
weak sodium hydroxide solution with a
undesirable chemical reagents has
pH greater than 11.4 and a concentration
often been significantly reduced or
24
Food Review | August 2020
“Both ECA solutions can be used on multiple surfaces and areas within
hypochlorous acid
and still is dependent on harsher
WHAT IS ECA?
for sanitation.
