Novazone, a leading provider of clean solutions for food and water, has joined the board of the Center for Food Safety (CFS) at the University of Georgia (UGA), one of the world's leading research programs for the study and prevention of food-borne pathogens.

As a part of its new partnership with CFS, Novazone has donated one of its patented ozone generators for researchers to use in experiments that will include the development of techniques for killing common pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella. The first tests will be conducted on behalf of a major food packaging company.

"The Center for Food Safety is a primary research facility committed to solving the many microbiological challenges faced by the food industry, and Novazone has a technology that can be an effective solution," said Michael P Doyle, director of the CSF. "Novazone's ozone generators are widely deployed and respected by both the food and beverage industries; as researchers, we share their corporate goal of helping ensure that the food that reaches consumers is of the highest quality and lowest possible health risk."

The Center for Food Safety is an affiliate program within UGA's College of agricultural and environmental sciences, and has been at the forefront of efforts to understand the causes of, and ways to prevent, food-borne illness. Its researchers work closely with leading government agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as private-sector partners like Kraft Foods.

Other CFS board members include major food processors and packagers like ConAgra, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, McDonalds and Campbells.

Tasked with the job of protecting consumer health, CFS employs the world's top experts on foodborne illnesses and the technologies that will improve the safety of the food on everyone's table. According to the Center for Disease Control, an estimated 76 million cases of foodborne illnesses occur each year in the US, causing about 325,000 hospitalisations and 5,000 deaths.

"Novazone is committed to making sure the food on your table is fresh and safe to eat," said David Cope, president and ceo of Novazone, Inc, which has more than 300 customers in 19 countries. "We're honoured to have this opportunity to lend our global food market expertise and technological know-how to an institute like CFS. This is a truly symbiotic partnership for Novazone and CFS."

Novazone's patented technologies are designed to preserve and protect the world's food and water supply throughout the pre-harvest and post-harvest packaging, transport and cold storage processes. Its thin-film sunshield, made from harmless calcium carbonate crystals, can reduce sunburn damage and product losses for growers.

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