A sanitation innovation co-developed by Prof. Keith Warriner, Department of Food Science, is making national headlines.

The Canadian Press featured the “clean flow” waterless sanitation process Warriner developed, with articles appearing across the country, including on GlobalNews.ca. Warriner also appeared on CBC Radio’s Morning Edition to discuss the invention.

The technology uses ultraviolet light, hydrogen peroxide and ozone to kill pathogens. Although it was designed for sanitizing produce and slowing decomposition, Warriner and post-doctoral researcher Mahdiyeh Hasani modified the technology to rid N95 masks of the novel coronavirus.

“It’s ideal, isn’t it? It’s a gentle process. It’s waterless, it’s effective and it’s very quick,” Warriner told CP.

Warriner teamed up with fruit farmer Paul Moyer to market the Clean Works system, which last year won the International Association for Food Protection’s Food Safety Innovation Award