Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has started making vegetables bacteria free with the help from Ultraviolet C (UV-C) based disinfectant oven. The facility has been started at a garden on Khandwa road which is among many centres established for preparing vegetable baskets which are delivered to houses in the city.
Newly appointed IMC commissioner Pratibha Pal on Wednesday visited the centre to see how the oven works. She signalled at starting the same facility at other centres also so that people get bacteria free vegetables.
The oven helps to free the vegetables from bacteria without any human exposure or human touch.
This frees 1 quintal of vegetables from bacteria in just 30 seconds.
Sameer Sharma of Sanatan Sustainable Solution said that UV rays remains within the oven and radiation does not come out, so it is completely safe.
“It is made of food grade stainless steel, so it is the best option for making vegetables and fruits bacteria free,” he added.
It has auto limit switch which is turned on only when the trolley goes inside the oven.
Broad spectrum ultraviolet C (UVC) rays, according to WHO and medical research scientists, are very effective in destroying bacteria and viruses. Traditional UV rays have also been used to disinfect surgical instruments.
This ray cannot be used on human beings. It is the most effective means of freeing objects, food, substances, medicine, surgical instruments and surface of bacteria.
“This is the technical solution that will be put forward everywhere in the future,” Sharma said.
He stated that this oven in different sizes would also soon reach homes, shops, schools, canteen, hotels, restaurants, airports, railway stations, offices etc.
International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition Engineering 2012 described UV oven as one of the best dry measures for food disinfection.
Ultraviolet-C rays immediately eliminate the bacteria or viruses hidden in the objects placed in it as soon as they turn blue. Other food items, clothes, electronic equipment such as mobiles, watches, iPods etc can also be disinfected and does not get spoiled in this.
How did this idea come about?
On the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fight Covid 19, Sharma got this idea and together with his team, he conceptualized and produced it in 2 weeks. This idea has also been submitted to the Government of India for COVID 19 solution. IMC courses said that it will be installed at all other vegetable centers in the next 3 to 4 days.
What is ultra violet ray and their use?
Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation just like visible light, infrared and radio waves. On the spectrum, UV light ranges between 4 and 400 nanometers with violet light and x rays.
What is the IMC’s oven like?
It is a UV oven and is based on the Ultraviolet-C beam principle. With this, all types of bacteria and viruses are eliminated in the blink of an eye. This treatment also improves their shelf life of vegetables and fruits!
How to disinfect vegetables?
This oven, named Neelabh, has the Ultraviolet-C spectrum. The operation of this machine is controlled with the help of controllers and timers. It is designed in such a way that there is no UV exposure on the operators. It is completely safe.
Vegetable packs will be sent through trolleys in a 30-second UV exposure in alternating oven. It is completely safe on fruits, vegetables and foods and has no side effects.
Pal visits vegetable centres, ration facility
The new municipal commissioner visited Grand Omni Palace, one the centres where ration bags are prepared for distributing the same to poor people. She also visited vegetable centres and saw how baskets are prepared and they send to houses via grocers. In the afternoon, she took meeting of officials for knowing the financial condition of IMC.
