Case Study: Enhancing Fish Processing with Ozone Technology in Georgetown, Guyana

Introduction:

In the seafood industry, ensuring microbial safety and product quality is paramount, especially when exporting to stringent markets like the United States. A fish processing facility in Georgetown, Guyana, faced challenges with water quality and sanitation due to reliance on a questionable well water source and daily purchases of raw fish from small, privately owned fishing boats. To address these issues, Oxidation Technologies, a leader in ozone equipment manufacturing, provided ozone system to disinfect water and sanitize seafood, enabling the facility to meet U.S. import standards. This case study explores how the implementation of ozone technology transformed operations, improved product safety, and boosted the local economy.

Background:

The Georgetown facility processes fresh fish sourced daily from local fishermen operating small vessels along Guyana’s coast. These fish were traditionally sold in Guyana with some exports in the Bahama’s.  To achieve better marketability the plant desired to export to the U.S., where strict antimicrobial and quality controls apply under FDA regulations. However, the facility’s well water source was inconsistent in quality, often containing microbial contaminants that posed risks to both processing hygiene and final product safety. Traditional sanitizers like chlorine were considered, but concerns about chemical residues, cost, and efficacy in this context led the facility to seek an alternative solution.

Oxidation Technologies specializes in designing ozone systems that generate and dissolve ozone efficiently into water, offering a powerful, residue-free disinfection method. Ozone (O₃), a naturally occurring oxidant, is highly effective against bacteria, viruses, and fungi, making it ideal for food safety applications. The company proposed a tailored solution to deliver 2-3 parts per million (ppm) of dissolved ozone in the facility’s well water, sufficient for both water treatment and seafood sanitation.

The Challenge:

- Water Quality: The well water used for rinsing fish and cleaning equipment was prone to contamination, threatening compliance with export standards.

- Sanitation Needs: Daily handling of raw fish from small boats required robust antimicrobial control to prevent spoilage and pathogen growth (e.g., Listeria, Salmonella, Vibrio).

- Economic Pressure: Without meeting U.S. safety requirements, the facility faced limited market access, capping the value of its seafood and stifling growth for the local fishing community.

The Solution: Ozone System Implementation

Oxidation Technologies installed a custom ozone generation and dissolution system at the Georgetown facility.

Key features of the system included:

- Ozone Generation: A high-efficiency ozone generator producing gaseous ozone from ambient air.

- Dissolution Technology: Advanced mixing technology to dissolve ozone into well water at a consistent 2-3 ppm, ensuring optimal antimicrobial activity.

- Application: The ozonated water was used in two critical areas:

         - Water Disinfection: Treating the well water to eliminate microbial contaminants.

         - Seafood Sanitation: Rinsing raw fish and sanitizing processing surfaces and equipment.

The system was designed for ease of use, requiring minimal maintenance while delivering reliable ozone levels. Operators were trained to monitor dissolved ozone concentrations using portable meters, ensuring consistent performance.

Implementation Process:

- Installation: The ozone system was integrated into the facility’s existing water supply line, with minimal disruption to operations.

- Testing: Initial trials demonstrated a substantial reduction in microbial load (e.g., total coliforms and E. coli) in the well water and a significant decrease in surface pathogens on fish samples.

- Full Deployment: The system went live, treating up to 30 GPM of water and supporting the processing of all seafood.

- Ozonated Ice: Water containing ozone was used to feed the ice machine providing ozonated ice for prolonged shelf life of the seafood products during storage and shipping.

Results:

The adoption of the ozone system yielded measurable benefits across safety, compliance, and economic outcomes:

- Microbial Control: Post-treatment water samples consistently met potable water standards, while fish samples showed pathogen levels well below U.S. import thresholds. Ozone’s rapid decomposition into oxygen left no chemical residues, enhancing product appeal.

- Regulatory Compliance: The facility achieved certification for export to the U.S., passing FDA inspections .

- Economic Impact: With access to the premium U.S. market, the seafood’s market value increased.  This uplift translated into higher earnings for the facility and the small-scale fishermen supplying it.

- Local Economy Boost: Increased revenue supported job creation and reinvestment in the Georgetown fishing community, with a rise in local income tied to the fishery.

Discussion:

Ozone’s dual role as a water purifier and seafood sanitizer proved transformative. Unlike chlorine, which can leave detectable residues and alter taste, ozone provided a clean, effective solution tailored to the facility’s needs. The 2-3 ppm concentration struck an ideal balance—potent enough to kill pathogens yet safe for food contact, as validated by studies like those from the Journal of Food Protection.

The system’s success hinged on excellent ozone dissolution, and reliable equipment in challenging environments. Efficient mixing ensured that ozone remained active in solution, maximizing its contact time with contaminants. For a region like Guyana, where infrastructure challenges can complicate water treatment, this plug-and-play solution offered a scalable model for other processors.

Conclusion:

The deployment of the ozone system in Georgetown, Guyana, demonstrates the power of innovative technology to solve real-world challenges in food processing. By disinfecting a questionable water source and sanitizing seafood, the facility not only met rigorous U.S. export standards but also unlocked significant economic gains for the local community. This case underscores the value of ozone as a sustainable, residue-free alternative to traditional sanitizers.

Next Steps:

Encouraged by this success, the Georgetown facility explored expanded ozone applications in other local plants.  The use of ozone in seafood processing transformed the seafood industry in the Guyana region.