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Produce & Fresh Cut

The European Outbreak of E. coli, Traceable to Produce

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.