Conveyor belt direct product

Regulation & design tips DE

Region

International

Other

Directly permitted

Dried herbs + spices · egg-shell surface decontamination (non-edible surface)

Directly prohibited

Meat, fresh fish, vegetables, fruit, baked goods — direct irradiation of edible surface

Legal basis

§13 LMBG / LMBestrV (UV explicit) · disclosure + label „treated with ultraviolet radiation" for edible-surface treatment

Design tip — personnel protection (ICNIRP): tunnel enclosure + light-barrier interlock at the tunnel entrance. Direct UV-C irradiation within personnel reach is acutely harmful for eyes + skin — the safety form factor dominates over UV efficiency.

Full EU country table + concept comparison on luvex.tech/wissen

Required UV intensity

← Open step ① Design Target on the left to pick reduction + germ

Top view · Concept

Side view · Lamp 9 cm above product Tunnel 15×96 cm · Lamp ≤ 90 cm · Offset 4 cm · Product 2 cm

Front view · Tunnel 15 cm

Regulatory & safety notes

EU/DE — §13 LMBG / EU directive 1999/2/EC: direct UV-C irradiation of food legally counts as treatment with UV radiation. WITHOUT special approval in Germany only dried herbs + spices permitted (positive list BVL). Fresh products require application to BfR or approval in the respective EU member state. Declaration + labelling as "treated with ultraviolet radiation" mandatory.
USA — FDA 21 CFR 179.39: UV radiation for controlling surface microorganisms on food generally permitted. Juice applications additionally Juice HACCP compliant (5-log pathogen reduction required).
Personnel protection (ICNIRP): tunnel enclosure + light-barrier interlock at the tunnel entry MANDATORY — UV-C is acutely harmful to eyes + skin. Personnel-reach form factor → safety form factor dominates over UV efficiency.

Use case

What it does

Reduces microbial load on dry surface products (herbs, spices, supplements) by 2–4 log without heat, chemicals or moisture. Preserves volatile aromatics + active ingredients compared to steam / ethylene oxide / gamma sterilization.

How it works

Products run through a stainless-steel tunnel with UV-C lamps transverse to the conveyor direction. Louvre curtains at entry and exit contain the UV light (ICNIRP / TROS IOS personnel protection mandatory — products in direct line of sight to the lamp). Inner reflector geometry multiplies the dose by reflection.

Economic value

Regulatory significance: in the EU, direct UV-C on food is covered by Regulation EU 1999/2/EC (food irradiation) — country-specific approval required (Germany: BVL § 13 LFGB). Operationally favoured for dry products where moist treatment damages quality.