IceFish exhibitor Alvar ehf has been providing automatic mist disinfection solutions to the fishing industry for many years, with the technology widely-known and used in Icelandic fisheries and beyond.
Alvar explained that a common trend in the food industry is the increased adoption of automation and complex machinery. With many of these systems being enclosed or semi-enclosed, they are difficult to clean and disinfect, and this can create an ecosystem that encourages rapid bacterial growth due to higher temperatures.
To address this issue, it released the ALVAR Mist Focus S-10 in 2022, which deploys disinfectant mist inside machinery and high-risk areas. This solution has been well-received and was nominated for the FoodTech Award 2022 at the FoodTech Expo in Denmark.
However, recognising the Mist Focus S-10 has its limitations – including being reliant on adequate inhouse water pressure, and only being capable of deploying mist to one or two large machines or to small high-risk areas up to 200 square metres, Alvar is now working on the development of Mist Focus S-20. It is expected to be launched in 2024.
Mist Focus S-20 will be capable of disinfecting several pieces of machinery simultaneously, without depending on a sufficient inhouse water supply pressure given that it includes its own pump. The solution will also be capable of disinfecting smaller boats (such as the Icelandic Krókabátur) that have an area of up to 400 square metres.
According to Alvar, this will provide a more cost-effective option for smaller vessels to optimise their food safety without the need to install one of Alvar’s larger systems, which are designed for processing plants and large factory trawlers.
It’s planned Mist Focus S-20 will contain five litres of concentrated disinfectant, which should last for an average 5-6 months.
Caption: The inside of a FlexiCut machine before and after the Mist Focus S-10 is deployed
