Case Study · Food Processing
Food plant effluent: 100% bacterial reduction.
Powell Water E-Cell treatment of bacterial loading in food production plant water across four source streams — total plant effluent, hot wash, ambient wash, and cold water. Caro Labs analyzed APC, coliform, and salmonella before and after treatment.
The objective
Food processing operations generate plant effluent with high bacterial loading — aerobic plate counts (APC) in the hundreds of millions of colony-forming units per gram, coliform counts at similar levels, and the periodic positive test for salmonella that creates regulatory and reputational risk. Conventional treatment for this stream typically involves chlorination or UV, both of which have operating costs and regulatory considerations.
The objective of this test was to determine whether electrocoagulation alone could achieve the bacterial reduction required for discharge or recycle — without chlorination, ozone, or UV.
Treatment configuration
The Powell Water E-Cell was operated at 100 volts with amperage varied by sample type, ranging from 1.0 to 5.3 amps depending on water conductivity and bacterial loading. Energy consumption ranged from 1.67 to 8.75 kWh per 1,000 gallons treated.
Results — All Four Sources
Caro Labs analyzed each source stream before and after E-Cell treatment for aerobic plate count, total coliform, and salmonella presence. Results below.
| Source | APC cfu/g (raw) | APC cfu/g (treated) | Coliform (raw) | Coliform (treated) | Salmonella | kWh/1000 gal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Plant Effluent | 118,000,000 | 280 | 65,000,000 | 10 | Pos → Neg | 4.17 |
| Hot Wash Water | 168,000,000 | 10 | 65,000,000 | 10 | Pos → Neg | 8.75 |
| Ambient Wash Water | 5,200 | 20 | 430 | 10 | Neg → Neg | 1.67 |
| Cold Water | 40 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Neg → Neg | 2.50 |
Reductions
Takeaway
The E-Cell delivers complete bacterial reduction across the full range of food plant water sources — from highly contaminated total plant effluent (118 million cfu/g APC) down to cleaner ambient wash water. Treatment energy per 1,000 gallons varies with conductivity and loading, but stays in single digits.
For food processors looking at alternatives to chlorination, UV, or ozone — particularly where chemical residue in recycled wash water is a concern — electrocoagulation provides a chemistry-free path to bacteriologically safe recycle water.