SmartWash Solutions® Celebrates 15 Years of Providing the Highest Level of Food Safety in the Industry

Founded in 2009 in the wake of the E. coli spinach outbreak, SmartWash Solutions® is celebrating its fifteenth year of making food safer. An industry leader in food safety science, engineering and technology, SmartWash Solutions’ comprehensive system supports companies at over 30 facilities across North America, Asia, Oceania and Europe, protecting over five billion pounds of produce annually.

Over the past fifteen years, the company has continued its commitment to revolutionizing the food safety industry, filing nearly 100 patents globally, publishing seven journal articles, being recognized by three industry awards, and partnering with key researchers including the USDA Agricultural Research Services (ARS) in the United States and CEBAS and the University of Ghent in Europe.

“Our scientists and engineers ensure our existing products and upcoming innovations alike remain at the forefront of food safety prevention, detection and management,” shared Steven Swarts, Director of Business Development for SmartWash Solutions. “For example, we initially launched our ASAP unit as a pH control system managing application of the SmartWash® food wash enhancer, but quickly saw the need in the industry for chlorine management. Our team enhanced the machine into the complete monitoring and control system used today, and we continue to apply updates as food safety challenges evolve.”

SmartWash Solutions’ comprehensive approach makes wash lines not only safer but also more efficient, reducing input and labor costs, ensuring systems operate at peak efficiency, and providing exceptional audit preparation through real-time access to wash line data and reporting from anywhere in the world. As a result, many partners have experienced substantial business growth and continue to be industry leading suppliers since partnering with SmartWash Solutions.

In addition, the company’s innovations in chlorine monitoring and control have also been critical for bringing this level of food safety to the European market. “Despite chlorine being proven by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) as the safest, most effective food safety solution, many European companies avoid its use due to consumer and regulatory concerns surrounding chlorates residues, a disinfection by-product (DBP),” shared Ewoud Buter, the General Manager for SmartWash Solution’s European operations.

“The extensive chlorine monitoring and control SmartWash provides allows companies to use up to 10 times less chlorine than traditional systems,” Buter continued. “This results in chlorate residues at levels far below regulatory requirements, all while aligning perfectly with EFSA’s recommendations for optimal chlorine wash systems. We are excited by the opportunity to continue helping ensure safer food throughout Europe.”

Given the critical role of food safety in not only protecting consumer health but also preserving brands’ reputations, SmartWash Solutions prioritizes long-term partnerships with stable, accessible pricing. “This model lets our partners focus on keeping their produce safe and operations running efficiently, rather than worrying about fluctuating market rates,” Swarts said. “During the COVID-related supply chain disruptions, customers especially valued this stability while facing price and availability challenges in other areas.”

SmartWash Solutions is dedicated to not only their own continuous improvements but also supporting industry-wide advancements. The company’s president Jim Brennan shared: “It has been an honor to serve on the Center for Produce Safety board for the past 6 years. We also openly share our wash water quality measurement data to improve food safety knowledge industry-wide and often donate use of our pilot plant facility to government and academic food safety researchers.”

Looking forward, SmartWash has several exciting new innovations currently in customer trials, including a wash water management system and a new fruit application system for their SmartWash Boost™ line—known for being the first system to virtually serve as a kill step and eliminate up to 99.5% of pathogens. This revolutionary dual-wash system allows companies to reap the food safety benefits of SmartWash on cut fruit wash lines. Exceptional trial data has been seen with cantaloupes and peaches, with up to 3.57 and 5.58 log reduction respectively.

For more information or to request details about a free trial, email info@smartwashsolutions.com, or call +1 (831) 676-9750 in the USA or +31.6.1544.1290 in Europe.

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SmartWash Solutions®: SmartWash Solutions is an industry leader in food safety technology, helping processing plants around the world maximize food safety, achieve FSMA compliance, control wash water chemistry, track wash line efficiency, prevent food-borne outbreaks and save money. Visit smartwashsolutions.com or call (831) 676-9750 for more information.