Trending on Spectrum Local News is that Key Food has switched disinfecting solutions to a “clean” technology, in its ongoing effort to kill viral particles as customers go in and out and touch products. Now, the grocery store is using "electrolyzed water," also known as a “hypochlorus acid” which can be sprayed from a something like a proton pack, supplied by a company called Pure Spaces.

According to this study in by the NIH, the technology is good for spaces that have nooks and crannies, and are not conducive to manual wiping of everything. The solution can be left on the product and not wiped away.

According to Pure Spaces: “Hypochlorous acid can also be produced through a process called electrolysis. Electrolysis is a technique that uses a direct electric current (DC) to drive an otherwise non-spontaneous chemical reaction. Specifically engineered elecrolysis cells can generate a solution of free chlorine species by running electricity through NaCl (table salt) and water. The oxidants hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hypochlorite (OCl-) are formed at the anode. If the pH of the solution is weakly acidic to neutral, the free chlorine solution will be dominated by hypochlorous acid.”

Spectrum interviewed the Key Food Deli clerk, Shirley Price, who wipes the pre-made food after customers handle it, and she seemed impressed that the spray could be “misted into tight areas, requires no wiping, and does not leave streaks.” According to the article, Pure Spaces has been providing this service to nursing homes and the food industry on larger scale via parent company Viking.

According to the NIH study, achieving a no-residue effect takes a careful balance: “higher sodium hypochlorite concentrations often leave a residue,” the study observed. There is a certain amount of time that the solution is left on the product in order to be effective.

To use this product, Key Food entered into an agreement with Pure Spaces. Said Key Food owner Mo DaBashi to A Little Beacon Blog, employees can use the product in their cleaning of the store as needed. “The product will be delivered to us every 2 weeks to a month. They will pick up the old product and give us knew ones every time to ensure it is fresh electrolyzed water and have a big effect while sanitizing and killing any viruses or anything like that.”

Editor’s Note: If your business is using a new technology or interesting method to disinfect or ensure safety of the virus, please send in your Tip to ALBB.