UV-C light that cuts coliforms and strengthens food safety on leafy greens and ready-to-eat fresh produce
UV-C LED technology that lowers the coliform load as a post-wash barrier, right before packing — without adding anything to the produce.
Why do coliforms show up on produce after the wash?
Because the wash is not the last point of contact. Fresh produce is wet, raw and nutrient-rich, and after washing it still meets belts, sorting tables, recirculated water and hands. Each of those contacts puts bacteria back on the surface, in the window between the wash line and the bag.
Fresh, wet, raw product
High water activity and nutrients, with no kill step downstream: ideal conditions for coliforms to grow. That is the nature of the product, not a defect in your plant.
The wash cleans, the line puts it back
Washing lowers the load, but recirculated water, contact surfaces and handling at sorting and packing deposit bacteria back onto the product.
Biofilms on belts and surfaces
Bacteria build biofilms on conveyor belts, dump tanks and equipment — colonies that survive routine cleaning and recontaminate lot after lot.
Cold slows it, it does not stop it
The cold chain slows growth, but it does not eliminate coliforms or break down biofilms. It only postpones the symptom.
The critical window: between the wash and the pack
That window decides the final microbial load before produce reaches your customer. UV-C acts exactly there — irradiating the product surface and the lines themselves, without touching the wash step or the cold chain.
E. coli on leafy greens
Introduced by fecal or cross-contamination; some strains cause gastroenteritis and serious complications.
Salmonella on fresh produce
One of the leading causes of outbreaks tied to raw, ready-to-eat product.
Listeria monocytogenes
Dangerous because it grows even under refrigeration, during cold storage of packed product.
STEC
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli: severe illness and one of the most frequent reasons for a product recall.
What changes when you add UV-C to a produce line?
UV-C LED fixtures mount over the wash, sorting and packing lines. They cut the coliform load on the surface of the product and in the process environment in seconds, with no chemicals and no rinse step. A typical installation takes 1 to 2 days and does not stop production.
Post-wash barrier: fewer coliforms before packing
Irradiating the product surface right after the wash lowers the starting load — an extra barrier exactly where produce normally gets recontaminated.
THE DIFFERENCEWash, sorting and packing lines without cross-contamination
Air and surfaces in the critical zones are sanitized continuously, cutting recontamination between lots.
Reduces E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria and STEC
UV-C light acts in seconds on surface pathogens, without adding chemicals to the produce.
Fewer rejections, longer shelf life
A lower starting load means fewer lots held on micro results and helps extend shelf life.
More retail confidence and a wider distribution radius
Lower microbial load = more safety margin = more reach without straining the cold chain.
Rie la Huerta cut coliforms on its Swiss chard by 40%
A fresh produce grower and processor in Mendoza, Argentina, working fresh vegetables and ready-to-eat processed lines with sustainable growing practices. Years of experience from field to table, an innovation leader in its region that treats food safety as a culture rather than paperwork.
They wanted to harden food safety without leaning only on washing and chemicals. They added UV-Life as a post-wash barrier, irradiating the product surface and the lines before packing.
"We were looking for an extra barrier to protect our customers and our brand without adding chemicals to the product. With UV-Life's UV-C light we lowered the coliform load and reinforced food safety before packing."
The process in operation:
Which UV-C equipment fits a produce line?
Equipment certified FCC · CE · SGS · CESMEC. Mounts over the conveyor and on the wash and packing lines you already run, without stopping production.
X50 UV-C Bar
High-output UV-C bar built to mount over conveyors on fresh produce, fresh-cut vegetable and other food lines.
- UV-C 260–280 nm · 480 mW UV output
- Mercury-free
- No ozone · No residue
- Rated service life 10,000 h (~2.7 years at 10 h/day)
- Certified FCC · CE · SGS · CESMEC
- Dimensions 1200 × 60 × 50 mm (47.2 × 2.4 × 2.0 in)
X36 UV-C Light
Recessed UV-C light for targeted disinfection of surfaces and process zones in produce wash and packing rooms.
- UV-C 260–285 nm · 400 mW UV output
- Mercury-free
- No ozone · No residue
- Rated service life 10,000 h (~2.7 years at 10 h/day)
- Certified FCC · CE · SGS · CESMEC
- Ø89 mm (3.5 in) diameter · 25 UV-C LEDs
What plant managers and QA directors always ask about UV-C
How does UV-C fit into a fresh produce food safety program?
As a documented control measure. UV-C is added as one more microbial-reduction step on product, process water or contact surfaces, with its own written procedure, operating parameters and records. It does not replace your food safety system: it gives that system one more measurable barrier, and a record your team can show during an audit.
How is UV-C LED different from a mercury UV lamp?
Both emit germicidal ultraviolet light, but UV-C LED contains no mercury and no glass tube that can break over product, which matters directly above a produce line. UV-Life LEDs work at 260–285 nm, generate no ozone, leave no residue and are rated for 10,000 hours, roughly 2.7 years at 10 hours a day.
Does UV-C light replace washing and chemical sanitizing?
No. UV-C light is an additional sanitary barrier that complements the wash. It works as an extra microbial-reduction step after washing and before packing, without replacing good manufacturing practices.
How much can UV-C reduce coliforms on fresh produce?
In real plant conditions, UV-Life has documented a 40% reduction in coliforms even with the light applied to stacked product rather than a single layer (see the customer case).
Does UV-C change the taste, color or texture of produce?
No. UV-C light acts in seconds on the surface without adding anything and without generating heat. It does not alter the vegetable: color, flavor and freshness stay the same.
Why do coliforms show up after the wash step?
Product goes in clean but can come out with a higher load through cross-contamination: contact with surfaces, conveyor belts, recirculated process water, handling by staff, and residual moisture that favors bacterial growth.
Do I have to rebuild my production line?
No. The fixtures mount over the existing conveyor and in the wash and packing areas you already run. A typical installation takes 1–2 days without stopping production.
Which produce items can UV-C be used on?
On leafy greens and ready-to-eat vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, arugula, kale, Swiss chard, cabbage, carrots and broccoli, with the dose adjusted to the surface and geometry of each product.
Fighting coliforms in your produce plant?
Tell us about your process. Free technical assessment of your line.