Disinfection upgrade for township water plants! Why is chlorine dioxide becoming more and more popular?

In the past two years, the concept of healthy eating has become increasingly popular, and consumers have become more discerning in their demands for dairy products. Compared to ordinary room-temperature milk, they place greater emphasis on the preservation of original nutrients and the fresh taste. This has led to an explosive growth in "fresh milk" and "low-temperature pasteurized milk," making them hot sectors in the dairy market. Regional dairy companies and local farms are all eager to seize this opportunity, investing heavily in all aspects of the industry chain . From building high-quality milk source bases and implementing refined farming practices to upgrading cold chain logistics and distribution systems, the entire chain is fiercely competing to "shorten the time from farm to table," striving to deliver the freshest milk to consumers as quickly as possible. However, behind this fiercely competitive race for freshness, a fatal risk concerning the survival and development of dairy companies hangs over the heads of all industry practitioners—microbial contamination. Milk is a natural beverage rich in protein and nutrients, making it an ideal breeding ground for microorganisms. Pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Cronobacter sakazakii can easily proliferate at any stage of milking, storage, transportation, processing, and bottling. If there is even the slightest lapse in disinfection and control, not only will the milk spoil prematurely and develop flocculation problems, but its taste will also be greatly compromised. More seriously, it may even trigger a mass food safety incident, destroying the brand reputation and market layout that a company has built up over many years.

After visiting numerous large-scale dairy farms and processing plants across China, it was found that many dairy companies are still using traditional disinfectants such as sodium hypochlorite and peracetic acid in their core disinfection processes. However, with increasingly refined dairy processing and higher standards, the problems with these older products are becoming more and more apparent. Sodium hypochlorite, for example, easily reacts with organic matter in milk to produce harmful substances like chloroform. The residual chlorine smell on equipment can also seep into the milk, ruining its original pure taste. Furthermore, it is corrosive to core equipment such as stainless steel pipes and filling machines, leading to equipment damage over time and high maintenance and replacement costs. Peracetic acid, on the other hand, is extremely irritating; frequent contact with it can affect the skin and respiratory system of workers. Its use requires strict concentration control, and prolonged ventilation after disinfection significantly disrupts production and slows down overall processing efficiency. These shortcomings of traditional disinfectants leave dairy companies caught between maintaining freshness and ensuring safety, forcing the entire industry to find disinfection methods more suitable for the entire milk processing process. The fourth-generation disinfectant chlorine dioxide, with its advantages of fast sterilization, low residue, low corrosiveness, and no harmful byproducts, has become a good choice for dairy companies to overcome quality control problems and has gradually become the mainstream disinfection solution in the milk processing industry.

Chlorine dioxide is well-suited for the entire sterilization process in milk processing because its sterilization principle and inherent properties perfectly align with the stringent requirements of milk processing. Unlike traditional chlorine-based disinfectants, chlorine dioxide doesn't kill bacteria through chlorination. Instead, it uses strong oxidation to destroy the cell membranes and nucleic acids of microorganisms. Even highly resistant microorganisms like spores and molds can be quickly killed at very low concentrations, making it far more efficient than traditional disinfectants. More importantly, it doesn't react with nutrients in milk such as proteins and lactose, producing no harmful byproducts and preserving the milk's nutritional value and flavor. It also has virtually no corrosive effect on materials commonly used in milk processing equipment, such as stainless steel and food-grade plastics, eliminating concerns about damaging internal equipment. From the pretreatment of freshly collected raw milk to the final bottling, sterilization with chlorine dioxide at every stage ensures both effective sterilization and maintains the quality of the milk, which is the fundamental reason for its selection as the sterilization method in milk processing .

In actual milk processing, chlorine dioxide is used throughout the entire process, from raw milk storage and transportation to finished product bottling. Effective disinfection can be achieved at different stages by precisely controlling the concentration and application method, and the usage standards at each stage comply with industry regulations for dairy processing. In the raw milk storage and transportation stage, chlorine dioxide can be added to production water and milk storage tanks at a concentration of 0.5-1 mg/L. This achieves full-process antibacterial protection of the raw milk, delaying microbial growth and allowing more time for cold chain transportation and subsequent processing, while ensuring that the nutrition and taste of the raw milk are not affected. For CIP (Clean-In-Place) cleaning of core equipment and pipelines in milk processing, a chlorine dioxide disinfectant solution of 50-100 mg/L can be used for pump circulation disinfection for more than 15 minutes. Its superior penetrating power completely removes biofilm from the inner walls of pipes and equipment, solving the industry pain point that traditional disinfectants struggle to remove biofilm. Furthermore, no large amount of water is needed for secondary rinsing after disinfection, leaving no residue or odor, thus preventing the disinfectant from affecting milk quality at the source.

In the environmental disinfection process of aseptic filling workshops, the use of chlorine dioxide can be divided into two parts: air and object surfaces. For object surfaces such as workshop floors, walls, and conveyor belts, a disinfectant solution of 100-200 mg/L can be sprayed or wiped. For air disinfection in the aseptic filling area , a disinfectant solution of 1000 mg/L can be used for fumigation, which can quickly inactivate natural colonies in the air. The disinfection efficiency is far higher than that of traditional fumigation methods, and there is no need for long-term shutdown for ventilation, which greatly improves the production efficiency of dairy companies . For equipment and packaging materials that come into direct contact with milk, such as filling machines, filling heads, and packaging containers, a chlorine dioxide disinfectant solution of 100 mg/L can be used for wiping or high-pressure rinsing. After disinfection of packaging materials such as glass bottles with chlorine dioxide, the microbial status can be effectively improved. Combined with the pasteurization process, the shelf life of pasteurized milk refrigerated at 4°C can be extended to 9 days. In terms of personnel entry and exit, the handwashing and footbathing sinks at the workshop entrance can be prepared with chlorine dioxide disinfectant solution of 30-100mg/L for disinfection of operators' hands and shoes. Disinfectant solution at this concentration is mild and non-irritating, and long-term use will not cause dry skin. It can effectively improve employees' compliance with disinfection procedures and cut off the transmission path of microorganisms from the personnel level.

Compared to traditional disinfectants, chlorine dioxide is superior in terms of suitability and cost-effectiveness in milk processing. Its sterilization effect remains stable regardless of pH levels, and its performance is not compromised even in low-temperature environments or the presence of organic matter. This perfectly aligns with the characteristics of milk processing, which involves low-temperature storage and transportation and the presence of small amounts of organic matter in raw materials. In contrast, traditional disinfectants experience a significant drop in sterilization effectiveness in the presence of organic matter, failing to meet the actual sterilization needs of milk processing. Furthermore, chlorine dioxide can be prepared on-site to the required concentration, ensuring precise concentration and eliminating the need for large-scale storage of chemical reagents, thus reducing storage costs and safety management burdens for dairy companies . Its minimal corrosiveness to equipment also reduces maintenance and replacement expenses, genuinely reducing costs and increasing efficiency for dairy companies . In addition, chlorine dioxide decomposes into only water and a small amount of sodium chloride, leaving no harmful residues, fully complying with the requirements of the "National Food Safety Standard for Disinfectants for Food Processing," and aligning with the current trend of green and environmentally friendly development in the food industry.

In actual production, the product quality and technical control of chlorine dioxide directly determine the effectiveness of disinfection. Chlorine dioxide products tailored to different stages of milk processing better balance disinfection efficiency and ease of use. Xiuba Chlorine Dioxide has been deeply involved in the disinfection field for 43 years. Relying on professional R&D and production technology, it has created multi-dosage form products suitable for food processing. Its products, such as activation-free high-purity chlorine dioxide disinfectant and instant effervescent tablets , can precisely match the disinfection concentration and usage requirements of different stages of milk processing. No complicated activation procedures are required; it can be used directly after dilution according to the ratio, greatly reducing the operational difficulty for dairy companies . Its products meet high industry standards in core indicators such as activation rate, disintegration speed, and stability. It also holds a full set of compliance qualifications, including relevant hygiene permits for food processing disinfectants, water-related permits, and authoritative third-party inspection reports. Its production system has also passed core certifications such as ISO9001 quality management system and ISO14001 environmental management system, fully complying with all compliance requirements for milk processing . In addition, the accompanying 24-hour after-sales support can provide dairy companies with professional guidance on concentration ratios and usage methods, ensuring that the disinfection effect of chlorine dioxide is maximized in all stages of milk processing.

In today's dairy industry, it's often said that "whoever gets the freshest milk wins," but freshness is always predicated on safety. Effective and compliant disinfection and control are the core of dairy companies' efforts to build a strong food safety defense. Chlorine dioxide, with its unique bactericidal advantages, adaptability to the entire milk processing process, and environmentally friendly characteristics, has become an essential skill for dairy companies upgrading their quality control. It solves many pain points associated with traditional disinfectants, freeing dairy companies from the dilemma of balancing "freshness" and "safety." As industry standards become increasingly stringent and consumer demands for food safety rise, the application of chlorine dioxide in milk processing will become increasingly refined and standardized. Chlorine dioxide products tailored to specific milk processing scenarios will continue to empower dairy companies' quality control systems, helping them firmly uphold the bottom line of food safety in the competition for freshness, and safeguarding the freshness and purity of every glass of milk.