EDITOR’S SUMMARY: As a consumer, you have the right to know what’s going on with your food. And while speaking up to ask simple questions may sometimes feel intimidating, the choice to do so is yours. Whether you feel in alignment with this product or not, learning more about it can only help you make informed decisions. If you like the idea of a nontoxic disinfectant being sprayed on your produce, you may be good to go. If on the other hand, you have more specific questions, the research might give you the answers you’re looking for.
Written by Jennifer Wolff-Gillispie HWP, LC
Edited by Nicki Steinberger, Ph.D.
Have you walked through the produce aisle at the grocery store as the sound of thunder boomed, and then suddenly it started to “rain” on the vegetables and fruit? Those water misters, there to keep your produce cool, hydrated, and crisp, may not just contain water. Recently, across social media channels, concerned health advocates have been posting about a chemical product that is being sprayed on food called “ProduceMaxx.” Questions have been raised about food safety and the need for transparency. Consumers are asking about its formulation, and seeking clarity.
Similar to the uproar that occurred in regards to the product, Apeel—the fruit and vegetable coating that popped up in the press spring, 2023—ProduceMaxx, a disinfectant, is being used via spray, rinse, and soak, on organic as well as conventional produce. It’s being used in grocery stores across the United States, and is also applied to cut and prepared fruit and veggies. Currently, Chemstar, the makers of ProduceMaxx, has not provided a list to illustrate which stores are using their product.
The need for a disinfecting solution on produce began in 1990 with an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease, a serious form of bacteria pneumonia, traced back to one grocery store’s produce misting machine. Because the store failed to clean and disinfect their water holding tank, at least 34 people fell ill, and 2 died. The incident led to significant changes in how grocery stores approached the misting of their produce to keep them fresh and crisp. Instead of simply using water, stores began using systems, such as the Sterilox Food Safety System, which employed a combination of salt, water, and electricity to generate hypochlorous acid (HOCI) as a disinfecting solution. This chemical is known for its ability to oxidize and break down the chemical structure of pathogens, thus eliminating them.
Hypochlorous acid is naturally activated by the human immune system to combat pathogens, particularly in white blood cells. This means that in your body hypochlorous acid is created by “myeloid lineage-derived effector cells.” As noted in Science Direct:
“Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is produced mainly in leukocytes, including neutrophils, macrophages, and monocytes, by myeloperoxidase (MPO)-catalyzed peroxidation of chloride ions. It plays a vital role in killing a wide range of pathogens and affords an innate host defense.”
Despite its natural presence in the human body, the industrial production of hypochlorous acid is a different matter. Industrially, hypochlorous acid is produced through a process known as electrolysis, in which sodium chloride (NaCl) is dissolved in water, and dissociates into charged ions. The process also creates hydroxide (OH-) and hydrogen (H+) ions, which then form various chlorine-based substances, including hypochlorous acid, hypochlorite ions, and hydrochloric acid.
One of the most popular industrial applications of hypochlorous acid is its use as a sanitizer and disinfectant. Hypochlorous acid has gained a reputation over the years for being nontoxic and noncorrosive, and is widely used in public spaces, schools, and hospitals. According to Non Toxic Schools, hypochlorous acid exhibits the following pros and cons:
Pros:
- “100 times stronger than bleach
- Free of toxic fragrances, additives–only salt, water and electricity
- Can be used as a hand sanitizer, surface sanitizer, and disinfectant
- Can be used on hard and porous surfaces
- No PPE [personal protective equipment] required
- No rinse [necessary]”
Cons:
- “Can be [disrupted] if stored in heat
- Reactive-cannot put in other containers
- Harder to find currently
- New manufacturing to make more [reliable] product is not widespread”
According to the ProduceMaxx label, the product contains an active ingredient of hypochlorous acid, (0.45% concentration), while the “other ingredients” make up 99.55% of the solution. This has provoked skepticism about what exactly is in the product, as it remains unspecified on the label. However, a quick glance over at Chemstar’s Safety Data Sheet on ProduceMaxx reveals its ingredients as water (functioning as a diluent), hypochlorous acid (functioning as a “biocide”—a substance that destroys living things, such as pesticides and fungicides—and inorganic salt (functioning as a stabilizer).
According to SB-258, the California Cleaning Product Right to Know Act of 2017, all ingredients must be listed on the Safety Data Sheet, so you could assume these are accurate. Even so, to be clear, Chemstar Corporation has not confirmed this directly. In addition, according to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR): 156.10 Labeling requirements, the specificity of inert (other) ingredients must only be named if thought to be hazardous to humans or the environment.
In 2021, the EPA approved a notification for an amendment to ProduceMaxx’s label, adding an optional statement to the potable water rinse step under use directions to comply with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program. This approval further established ProduceMaxx as a registered pesticide with the EPA, and suggested there was no need to rinse the product off the food. Note that all labeled “disinfectants” have to be registered, and if they are registered, they are considered pesticides.
“Produce may be used for display or consumed after 10 minutes of draining. No rinse is required. (A potable water rinse is required to meet the USDA National Organic Program §205.605(b).)”
Production is important: It is possible to make HOCI more or less stable, so it does matter how it’s created. For example: Was it made from bleach instead of salt+water+electricity? If so, this would be of concern, as bleach is linked to asthma and respiratory illnesses. And if the pH is too high in the formulation, it moves closer into the realm of bleach. In addition, knowing what type of salt was used in the preparation may be important to you. After all, not all salt is created equal. This calls for scrutiny on the production line, so as a consumer, the ability to communicate with the manufacturer can make or break your confidence in the product.
Several attempts were made by the AVFCA team to reach “Chemstar Sterilox Fresh, a Division of Ecolab” by phone and email to ask pertinent questions about their formula and production, and to learn which stores carry their products. Unfortunately all lines were down, and their “Contact Us” form was also not working. In order to seek out answers to questions you may have, you can contact them by mail at their address: 120 Interstate West Parkway, Suite 100, Lithia Springs, GA 30122.
While ProduceMaxx is recognized as a safe, effective disinfectant (note that hypochlorous acid is used in wound care, eye care, and pet care), consumers and critics remain concerned about the product’s potential risks. One concern is the degradation process of hypochlorous acid. From Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, “Exploring the mechanism of hypochlorous acid decomposition in aqueous solutions”: “In aqueous solutions hypochlorous acid may decompose into oxygen or chlorate.”
Chlorate, one of the byproducts of hypochlorous acid degradation, may pose health risks. Human exposure to chlorate can cause gastritis, toxic nephritis, hemolysis, methemoglobinemia, hemoglobinuria, and acute renal failure. From the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), “Chlorate in food: risks for public health”:
“Long-term exposure to chlorate in food, particularly in drinking water, is a potential health concern for children, especially those with mild or moderate iodine deficiency. But the total intake on a single day even at the highest estimated levels is unlikely to exceed the recommended safe level for consumers of all ages.”
Informed consent—or lack thereof: Herein lies an issue as important if not more, than the actual contents of the product. This disinfectant is being sprayed directly on food without signs or labels stating its use. Without being informed, you’re not presented with the option to opt in/out, ask questions about the product, or make complaints. This lack of transparency needs to be addressed and rectified so you can navigate the produce section at your grocery store with trust and confidence in what you’re buying.
Next Steps for Your Consideration
In the absence of clear answers from Chemstar, you are left to navigate these concerns on your own. For information on which stores are using ProduceMaxx, you will have to inquire store by store. Speak with the produce managers. Ask how they prepare their cut fruits and vegetables, and if any disinfecting solutions are being used in the produce misters. Remain vigilant and informed, as the regulatory agencies and corporations continue to determine standards you may not agree with or trust as safe.
If you decide you would not like this disinfectant on your food, consider sourcing your fruit and vegetables, while building relationships at farmers’ markets and local farms. This fosters transparency, and a good deal more control over the food you consume, by having direct access to the people growing it. If you must (or prefer to) rely on grocery stores, purchase whole, uncut, organic fruit and vegetables whenever possible. You might also take a small step toward growing a bit of your own food. Strawberries, blackberries, fresh herbs, and bell peppers are a wonderful place to start.
Long-term studies on the effects of ingesting hypochlorous acid on a regular basis are not easily found. You will need to go with your gut instinct on this. From Cleveland Clinic, “What Is Hypochlorous Acid? And Why Should You Use It?”: Dr. Shilpi Khetarpal was asked about the potential dangers associated with hypochlorous acid used in skin care; this was her response:
“HOCl is billed as being 100x more powerful than bleach when it comes to fighting bacteria. (Yes, it’s that potent.) So knowing that, it’s really OK to mist the acid over your face without worrying about melting your skin?
‘“There really isn’t a risk,” says Dr. Khetarpal. “It’s safe to use.”’
Dr. Khetarpal advises that you make sure to verify a product with HOCl is billed for skin care before using it on yourself. If you have sensitive skin, stay away from HOCl products with fragrance.
Avoid ingesting HOCl and keep it out of your eyes, says Dr. Khetarpal. Always follow instructions on the product, too.”
In the case of ProduceMaxx being applied (sprayed or soaked) to your produce: Because hypochlorous acid is an unstable molecule—mixes with air then evaporates—you may choose not to wash your produce. This disinfectant is significantly different (and safer) from chemicals such as quats—quaternary ammonium compounds—which persist in the environment even after drying. However, if it makes you feel more comfortable to err on the side of caution, you can wash your vegetables and fruit in water with vinegar or baking soda.
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