Novazone of Livermore, California, has introduced PurFresh™—a system that reduces the decay and over-ripening of fresh produce during transit.

The system convert oxygen to ozone, a natural form of electrified oxygen. Mounted on shipping containers, trucks and trains, Novazone’s PurFresh units inject ozone at a specific dosage where its concentrations are maintained in the parts per billion ranges.

When properly controlled, ozone is extremely effective in killing microorganisms such as mold, bacteria and viruses that lead to decay and food safety risks. In addition, ozone reacts with a ripening hormone, ethylene, to slow the ripening process naturally, leading to higher quality produce with longer shelf life.

Ozone converts back into pure oxygen, leaving no residue and having no impact on product appearance, taste and nutrition.

The company says PurFresh is easy to install, operate and maintain, and can be used in both regular and controlled atmosphere environments.

Organic products have higher than average decay risks due to the absence of fungicides and preservatives commonly used on conventional produce. Ozone is approved as a food contact substance by the FDA and certified organic by the USDA.

Novazone raised $7 million in a Series B financing in December.