The processor was looking for a more environmentally friendly alternative, which also had appeal for consumers purchasing organic chicken products.

With a view to decreasing its microbial load on products, several years ago, South African poultry producer Chubby Chick set out to find an alternative disinfectant to the chlorine it was using in its final inner/outer washer. Chubby Chick currently produces 112,000 birds per day in two processing plants.

The poultry processor invited Radial Waters to make a presentation, according to Chubby Chick Factory Manager Desmond (Des) du Preez. The producer considered and then committed to a pilot plant at its main location, which would enable the use of both components of Radical Waters’ electro-chemical activation (ECA) process: the Anolyte as a disinfectant and the detergent Catholyte for cleaning. These two solutions are used extensively in several different applications ranging from disinfection to cleaning in both an economical and an environmentally friendly manner.

The pilot exercise proved successful, and Anolyte has subsequently been successfully used at Chubby Chick for several years as a disinfectant. “Anolyte is used at a 30 percent concentration as a final rinse on portions prior to packing for several customers in order to lower microbial loads and extend shelf life,” says du Preez.

On the benefits of Anolyte, du Preez says, “It has the advantage of not having any organoleptic or other detrimental effects on our products and is user friendly. It is also environmentally friendly, as well as biodegradable. Furthermore, it is not dangerous if spillage occurs and can be stored in the same holding room as other products, both of which are important safety considerations.”

Anolyte was the only environmentally friendly and biodegradable disinfectant to be approved by the Organic Certification Board, du Preez notes. “For this purpose, Anolyte gives us very good results and is very user friendly,” he says.