This article provides general technical information only. It does not replace the instructions for a specific product, health and safety assessment documentation, the Safety Data Sheet (SDS), or a food manufacturer’s validated cleaning and disinfection SOP. Space disinfection must be performed by trained personnel in unoccupied areas with no exposed food.

In food manufacturing, hygiene and safety are central to operational management. Workshop disinfection is an important component of the food-safety control system and must be based on thorough cleaning, risk assessment, and standardized procedures. Chlorine dioxide can be used to disinfect the air and surfaces in certain food-processing environments. The XIUBA team outlines its appropriate applications, operating principles, and key safety precautions below.

1. Chlorine Dioxide: Where It Fits in Food-Processing Area Disinfection

Chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) is an oxidizing disinfectant that may be used in certain food-processing environments to disinfect air, equipment surfaces, and packaging materials. Compared with conventional chlorine-based disinfectants, it generally forms fewer chlorinated organic by-products such as trihalomethanes. However, chlorite and chlorate may still be formed, so dosage and residues must be controlled in accordance with the instructions for the specific product.

Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Activity—Performance Depends on Conditions

Chlorine dioxide can kill or inactivate a range of bacteria, fungi, and some viruses. Effective action against bacterial spores generally requires more stringent concentration, contact-time, and environmental conditions. Performance is affected by use concentration, exposure time, temperature, relative humidity, organic load, and the target microorganism. Any efficacy claim should be based on the test report for the specific product.

Broad Applicability, but Environmental Conditions Still Matter

Chlorine dioxide retains good oxidizing and disinfecting activity over a certain pH range. Nevertheless, temperature, relative humidity, organic load, contact time, and enclosure integrity all influence the final result. Before use in a food-processing area, the process should be validated under actual site conditions rather than applying generic parameters.

Controlled Use Makes Safety and Residues Manageable

Food manufacturers must consider not only disinfection efficacy, but also worker exposure, residues on food-contact surfaces, and equipment corrosion. Chlorine dioxide gas irritates the eyes and respiratory tract. Space disinfection must therefore be carried out in an unoccupied area with no exposed food. After treatment, ventilate thoroughly and resume production only after the re-entry criteria specified in the product instructions or confirmed by on-site measurement have been met.

Multiple Application Methods—Each Must Match the Approved Product Use

Chlorine dioxide may be applied by spraying, wiping, soaking, or space treatment. However, approved uses, concentrations, and procedures vary from product to product. A product intended for drinking water, utensils, or surface disinfection must not be repurposed for space fumigation simply because it can release chlorine dioxide. Always check the product instructions and health and safety assessment documentation before use.

2. Operating Principles for Fumigation: Confirm Suitability First, Then Follow a Controlled Procedure

1. Pre-Treatment Preparation Checklist

Cleaning and enclosure: Remove food residues, grease, standing water, and other organic contamination. Complete routine cleaning before closing doors, windows, and ventilation openings and checking for possible leakage points. Fumigation does not replace cleaning, and enclosure measures must not compromise fire safety or emergency access.

Protecting equipment and materials: Remove exposed food, raw materials, and packaging materials that are not suitable for exposure. Cover or isolate carbon steel, copper, other corrosion-prone metals, and sensitive electronic equipment. Protection measures should be selected according to equipment materials and the product instructions.

Site assessment and placement: Treatment points must not be determined by floor area alone. Space volume, ceiling height, equipment obstructions, airflow patterns, gaps around doors and windows, and gas-circulation conditions must all be considered. Qualified personnel should determine the number and location of generation points, and site validation should confirm adequate gas distribution.

2. Determining Concentration, Dosage, and Contact Time

Chlorine dioxide products differ significantly in active composition, release mechanism, and actual release efficiency. Air-treatment concentration, surface-treatment dosage, contact time, and required environmental humidity must therefore follow the specific product instructions, test reports, and the site’s validated SOP.

Do not calculate dosage solely by using “space volume × target concentration ÷ product purity.” Actual requirements also depend on activation efficiency, gas-release rate, room leakage, temperature and humidity, and the consumption of chlorine dioxide by equipment and surfaces. Use the dosage per unit volume specified by the manufacturer or validated process parameters.

3. No Step May Be Omitted from the Standardized Procedure

After confirming that the product is authorized for air disinfection, operate it in a corrosion-resistant container or compatible generation unit exactly as instructed. Remote start-up or automated dosing should be preferred to minimize worker exposure during gas release. No one may enter during treatment. At the end of the cycle, start mechanical ventilation, allow sufficient air exchange, and permit re-entry and production only after measurement—or the method specified in the instructions—confirms that the concentration has fallen to a safe re-entry level.

(The image shows normal production. During space disinfection, the area must be unoccupied and free of exposed food.)

3. Essential Precautions

1. Protect People First

Operators must be trained and should select suitable respiratory protection, chemical-protective clothing, chemical-resistant gloves, and eye protection based on the product SDS and a risk assessment. The preparation area must be kept away from heat, ignition sources, and incompatible materials. In the event of a spill or leak, isolate the area immediately and follow the relevant SDS. Anyone who inhales the gas should be moved promptly to fresh air and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.

2. Protect Equipment and the Environment

Carbon-steel, copper, and other metal equipment should be protected in advance. Whether stainless-steel and other equipment require rinsing should be determined by exposure concentration and duration, material compatibility, and the product instructions. Residual solution must not be discharged directly into drains; neutralize or dispose of it in accordance with the SDS, local environmental requirements, and the site’s wastewater-management procedures.

3. Evaluate Treatment Frequency and Total Cost

Fumigation frequency should not be reduced to a fixed rule such as “no more than twice a week.” It should be determined from microbiological monitoring, production risk, contamination incidents, the cleaning and disinfection plan, and equipment tolerance. Cost evaluation should include chemicals, downtime, ventilation and testing, equipment protection, and maintenance—not just the unit price of the disinfectant.

If mold or other microbial contamination occurs in a food facility, identify the source first and improve cleaning, drainage, temperature and humidity control, and cross-contamination management. Then assess whether XIUBA chlorine dioxide disinfectant is suitable for enhanced disinfection. Under validated conditions, chlorine dioxide can help reduce microbial loads in the air and on surfaces. Effectiveness should be confirmed by settle-plate, active-air, or surface-swab testing; a reduction in airborne colony counts must not be used to claim “zero microorganisms” on equipment surfaces.

When chlorine dioxide is used for air or surface disinfection in food-processing areas, technical controls and management controls are equally important: clean first and disinfect second; strictly control the approved use, dosage, contact time, personal protection, ventilation, and re-entry criteria; and verify performance through microbiological monitoring. This is how the benefits of disinfection can be achieved while minimizing safety and corrosion risks.

Food safety is critical, and scientific disinfection is essential. For questions about chlorine dioxide product selection, approved applications, or on-site process design, leave a comment or contact our technical team for a disinfection plan based on the product instructions and actual facility conditions (Tel.: 132 5668 9305).