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Stephen’s Fresh Foods Sets the Benchmark for Infection Control
Stephens Fresh Foods has been established since 1974 and in those decades have built an enviable reputation for manufacturing quality cooked meats. Stephen’s are dedicated to the safety of their product range and as such is one of the few cooked meat companies with their own accredited on-site microbiological testing laboratory.
Proud to be BRC Food Certified, Stephen’s were looking to take their hygiene management to an unprecedented high level. After extensive trials of the Dax Airscience infection & odour control technology proved successful, they took the proactive decision to protect not only their high-risk areas but low risk as well using the AIRsteril Ultimate 4 technology supplied by Wightman & Parrish.
Stephen’s Production Manager, Gary Luff said: “We decided to install Dax Airscience’s AIRsteril units in all our production areas because we knew it was absolutely the right thing to do as we feel it is essential to control bacteria levels throughout the working environment in every way possible. We recognised that traditional cleaning and disinfection could not necessarily reach and kill bacteria effectively but that science could provide us with the ‘belt and braces’ to our existing sanitising processes. Since installation, our bacteria TVC test results are now at an all-time low.”
Is the technology expensive?
As Brian Dewsbery, CEO at Airscience Technology International Ltd explained: “The more appropriate question might be ‘Is it expensive not to have the technology?’ Look at the tragic impact that the recent tragic NHS Listeria outbreak should remind us all how serious the consequences can be when this pathogen isn’t full controlled using every avenue at our disposal. We had our technology tested by ALS Global against Listeria who found that AIRsteril decreased contamination to 0 log cfu/m2 within 24 hours.”
How does it work?
Unlike most traditional UV technologies, the air does not even need to pass through the machine to work. The photo plasma it creates does the majority of the decontamination work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The unique UV patented applied for technology produces an odourless photo plasma that completely disinfects the air and any exposed surface during production or storage which results in minimal surface microbial contamination to the point where it even reduces the number of times hydrogen peroxide fogging is required.
“This was another reason we elected to go with AIRsteril. Chemical fogging makes the atmosphere damp which gave us a problem with our electrics. It also requires a complete plant shutdown and staff out of the facility and production downtime costs money” said Stephen’s Gary Luff. “Not to mention the £1,000 per week we were spending on swab testing. Because Dax Airscience’s AIRsteril works 24 hours a day it is constantly killing both airborne and surface bacteria. We consistently found massive reductions in TVC and were able to scale back the testing and saved on those costs as well.” The technology was endorsed 100% by both the Stephen’s Fresh Foods Technical Team and their Directors.
Where can you find our units?
Anywhere that infection and odour control is a constant requirement, that includes chillers, boning halls, food production, storage areas and food in transit. We also work outside of the food industry, Dax Airscience supplies NHS call centres with our technology which has allowed the NHS to reduce staff absenteeism by up to 52%! Smaller scale units can also be used for changing rooms and washrooms where they guarantee odour control.
Our technology lets you offer 60+ day aged beef and deliver some of the most tender and flavourful beef available.
Reduce Listeria levels to 0 log cfu/m2 within 24 hours with an AIRsteril unit.
Decontamination 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year!
