Tea bags for crabs

A new delivery method for packaging chlorine dioxide in a 'tea-bag' can keep bacteria from forming in food.

Developed by Raytec Development, the 'tea-bag' has been developed to generate chlorine dioxide in the presence of water and produce specific amounts of chlorine dioxide in a solution in a safe manner.

Specific applications include bacteria prevention in crab and seafood processing plants as well as controlling spoilage of produce.

The main application for Raytec's 'tea-bag' technology is as a wash to sanitise produce and other products suspected to be contaminated with bacteria of any kind. The 'tea bag' technology has been approved in accordance with applicable US federal regulations as an antimicrobial agent in water used to wash fruit and vegetables and rinse, transport or store seafood.

Raytec has also applied for registration of the 'tea-bag' as a general surface sanitizer.

To distribute the 'tea bag' delivery method to the food industry, Raytec has recently signed a distribution agreement with Zep Manufacturing, the second largest manufacturer and distributor of antimicrobials and sanitizers for the food industry in the US.