1909 Used as a food preservative for cold storage of meats
1939 Was found to prevent the growth of yeast & mold during the storage of fruits
1982 FDA GRAS declaration for ozone use in bottled water
1995 FDA GRAS for ozone use in bottled water renewed without change
1997 Industry Expert Panel declares ozone GRAS and meets FDA requirements. Regulators have the option to later add control on ozone use.
1999 USDA rejects an ozone use protocol for meats, cites 1982 GRAS declaration for water where FDA stated
2000 Food Additive Petition, that addresses both water and air use of ozone, under preparation. FDA estimates approval will occur within six months of submission of the Petition
Status of Ozone in the Food Industry
1982 - O3 declared GRAS for treatment of bottled water (Federal Register, Vol. 47, No. 113, November 5, 1982)
1997 - Expert panel report : Evaluation of the history and safety of ozone in processing foods for human consumption. Vol. 2 : Abstracts. Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA. R & D Enterprise, Inc. / GRAS self declaration (Federal Register, v. 62 #74, April 19, 1997)
2000 - FDA and USDA approval granted
EPA - Disinfection By-Product Rules (DBPR)
The very reactive nature of ozone makes it the ideal oxidant for air and water treatment. Ozone will :