Dear Abby7,
We are NOP and NPOP certified company and we are using sanitizers permitted as per USDA, hope this will help you.
Sanitizers
Sanitizers differ from cleansers in that their purpose is to kill microorganisms, not to
remove soil or other debris. Sanitizers are applied after food-contact surfaces are cleaned.
Sanitizers also may be applied to fresh produce to kill harmful surface microorganisms or
added to wash water for fruits, vegetables, eggs, poultry, and meat products.
Section 205.605 of the National List explicitly mentions these allowed sanitizers:
• Acidified sodium chlorite
• Chlorine materials (including bleach)
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Ozone
• Peracetic acid/Peroxyacetic acid
Specific brand names of approved sanitizers can be found on the OMRI or WSDA lists,
although other products also may comply with the USDA Organic Regulations. The lists
also mention any particular restrictions or other allowed uses. Some sanitizers leave
residues on the equipment. In such cases, depending on the sanitizer you are using,
the certifying agent may require you to have a plan to remove residues as well as a way to
document that residues have been removed.
Chlorine
Chlorine is one of the most commonly used sanitizers, both for food-contact surfaces
and on agricultural products. As listed in § 205.605 (b) “Synthetics allowed,” chlorine
materials are allowed for “disinfecting and sanitizing food contact surfaces” in organic
processing. The regulation also states that “residual chlorine levels in the water shall not
exceed the maximum residual disinfectant limit under the Safe Drinking Water Act,”
which is currently 4 parts per million (ppm) chlorine. The NOP 5026 guidance document,
“The Use of Chlorine Materials in Organic Production and Handling,” clarifies
the allowed use of chlorine. The online address for the document is listed in this chapter
under “Online resources.”
When washing produce, the rinse water that makes final contact with the organic
product must not contain more than 4 ppm chlorine. In other words, a food product,
such as apples, may be bathed in water containing a higher concentration of chlorine if
doing so is permitted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, but that product
must receive a final rinse of water containing no more than 4 ppm chlorine. The procedures
used to wash produce and to monitor chlorine levels in the wash water must
be included in the OSP.
You must include all cleansers and sanitizers on your OSP, and they must be approved
by your certifying agent before you use them. Review § 205.605 to get familiar with the
diversity of materials listed. The latest version of the list can be accessed from the NOP Web
site under the tab Organic Regulations. The online address is listed in this chapter under
“Online resources.”
Regards
Mahantesh