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UV and Ozone Disinfection in Mushroom Production: Applications, Benefits and Limitations
2026-10-05
UV and Ozone Disinfection in Mushroom Production: Applications, Benefits and Limitations
Disinfection:
Refers to the use of physical or chemical methods to eliminate harmful microorganisms from the surfaces of objects.
Sterilization:
Refers to the use of physical or chemical methods to kill all microorganisms, both on the surface and within objects.
Numerous microorganisms harmful to edible fungi production—collectively known as "contaminants" or "weed fungi" in cultivation—exist in both raw materials and the cultivation environment. These contaminants can enter the culture substrate through various pathways, leading to failure in spawn production and cultivation. Implementing measures to sterilize the culture substrate and disinfect the environment is crucial for the success of spawn production and cultivation.
1. Ultraviolet (UV) Disinfection
UV disinfection is a method that utilizes ultraviolet irradiation to kill microorganisms. The germicidal wavelength range is 200–300 nm, with the strongest germicidal effect occurring between 250 nm and 270 nm.
At an ambient temperature of 20°C–25°C, the radiation intensity of a 220V, 30W UV lamp at a vertical distance of 1.0 meter (specifically at the 253.7 nm wavelength) should be at least 70 µW/cm²; the lamp should be replaced if the intensity falls below this value. A sufficient number of UV lamps should be used to ensure an average power of no less than 1.5 W per cubic meter.
During UV disinfection, the sterile room must be kept clean and dry. UV disinfection should be performed when the room is unoccupied, with an exposure time of 30 minutes. If the relative humidity exceeds 60%, the exposure time should be extended appropriately.
When disinfecting object surfaces with UV light, the surfaces must be directly exposed to the radiation and receive a sufficient dosage. Personnel should only enter the room to work at least 30 minutes after the UV lamps have been turned off.
UV disinfection is suitable only for air and object surfaces; UV lamps can be used for disinfection in inoculation and incubation areas, such as inoculation rooms, inoculation boxes, inoculation tents, laminar flow hoods, and incubation rooms.
2. Ozone Disinfection
Ozone disinfection involves using an ozone generator to convert atmospheric oxygen into high-concentration ozone, relying on ozone's powerful oxidizing properties to eliminate microorganisms. When disinfecting a space, the sterile room must be sealed and unoccupied; a concentration of 20 mg/m³ should be applied for a duration of 30 minutes.
Personnel may only enter the room to resume work once the indoor ozone concentration has dropped to 0.2 mg/m³.
In the edible fungi industry, based on technical consultations with ozone equipment manufacturers, actual user experience, and the design expertise of professional teams, the value of N (ozone concentration in mg/m³) is generally determined as follows:
For space sterilization (replacing chemical disinfection):
a) Class 100,000 or Class 300,000 design: N = 10 ppm;
b) Class 10,000 design: N = 15 ppm;
c) Class 1,000 design: N = 20 ppm;
d) Class 100 design: N = 25 ppm.
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Henan Joconn Machinery Co., Ltd. is an enterprise specializing in the production of mushroom equipment. It is engaged in the development, production and application of machinery and equipment for mushroom growth production lines.