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Horticultural Hydrocoolers

Horticultural Hydrocoolers

Water Management Australia Pty Ltd (WMA) provides growers with water quality control systems & water management programs for horticultural hydrocoolers to control pathogens, and to conserve energy & water.

The shelf life of horticultural produce can be sig...

The shelf life of horticultural produce can be significantly extended by cooling it as soon after harvest as possible. An economical way of cooling fruit & vegetables is to spray them with chilled water in devices known as hydrocoolers. However, to conserve water & energy the water must be recirculated around the system & the water contacting the produce is mandated to be potable. As a result, WMA provides effective water treatment systems that are incorporated into hydrocoolers & are tested on a regular basis to ensure they are maintaining the required Key Performance Indicators.

The consumption of uncooked food carries a danger that it may be a vector for dangerous human pathogens. Produce destined for export must remain fresh for prolonged periods. The best way of ensuring that fruits & vegetables, such as apples, peaches, cherries, peas, beans, pome fruits, asparagus & broccoli remain fresh is to wash & cool them in a properly treated hydrocooler.

Food laws require that potable quality water is used in hydrocoolers. Hydrocooler make-up water may be from bore water, mains water, treated river water or rain water. The water is typically filtered & treated to control pathogens. The water is monitored frequently for indicator micro-organisms, disinfectant residuals, pH & turbidity.

WMA 3700 BCDMH Disinfectant has been approved by the Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA, 2000) for use as a food processing aid. ANZFA (2001) has recommended that WMA 3700 can be used to wash & disinfect fresh fruits & vegetables.

WMA ORP Water Treatment Controllers are commonly used to measure the concentration of WMA 3700 & to automatically control the dosage.


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