Can UV Lamps Help Protect My Restaurant?

 

For more than a year, businesses and global economies have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with restaurants forced to shut down or limit capacity in nearly every state across the country. With the vaccination rollout and a light at the end of the tunnel, states are loosening restrictions with more business openings. Business owners and owners of restaurants everywhere are searching for ways to ensure the safety of their staff and the public. 

Restaurants have increased manual cleaning methods such as wiping down surfaces and counters with antibacterial disinfectant cleaners, forcing mask mandates and practicing social distancing. Many restaurant owners want to know if UV lamps will help them provide a cleaner and safer environment. UVC germicidal lamps are an excellent, effective, and reliable tool that drastically improves disinfection and sterilization goals with many unique, additional benefits for restaurant owners. 

UVC Lamps Provide a Host of Benefits for Restaurants

UVC germicidal lamps for restaurants serve many purposes to improve sterilization processes and safety for staff and patrons.  UV lamp technology can be used in many areas and devices to sterilize the air in public dining places, restrooms, and kitchens. UV lamps sterilize surfaces in restaurants and commercial kitchens to prevent the spread of disease on counters and utensils, and can also be used for food irradiation, a safe and effective method of preventing foodborne illnesses.  

Food Irradiation

Food irradiation with UVC lamps is an approved method by the FDA to tread many food types such as:

• Fruits and vegetables 
• Meats and poultry
• Various dairy products
• Beverages 

UV Surface Treatment

UV surface treatment in restaurants helps to eliminate foodborne diseases such as E. coli and Salmonella.  UV lamps can be placed above food buffets, delis, food preparation counters, and food storage areas. 

UV Lamps for Walk-in Freezers

UV lamps help to prevent mold and mildew in areas susceptible to excessive moisture such as a walk-in freezer. 

UV Lamps in Kitchen Hood Exhausts

UV lamps in commercial kitchen hood exhausts prevent the build-up of grease, thus reducing the risk of fire and increasing cleanliness.  

Upper Room Air Disinfection

Restaurants can incorporate upper room Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) in UV air sterilization units mounted in public areas, restrooms, and kitchens.  UV lamps may also be incorporated into HVAC systems providing a continual defense against spreading airborne disease.

UVC lamps are an important tool in helping to prevent the spread of harmful viruses, bacteria, mold, mildew, fungi, and other harmful pathogens. Ultraviolet radiation is proven effective in sterilizing water, surfaces, and air in a variety of UV sterilization devices including UVC robots, HVAC applications and various water and surface sterilization systems.

LightSources is a leading global supplier of UVC germicidal lamps found in sterilization applications worldwide. We offer a wide selection of germicidal UV lamps to meet any sterilization and disinfection need, designed with proprietary technology for long life effectiveness.  Contact us to learn more about our sterilization solutions with UVC germicidal lamps for restaurants. 

Does Ultraviolet Radiation Kill the COVD-19 Virus?

 

Ultraviolet radiation is proven to kill viruses and bacteria and there have been many questions about the efficacy of UV light killing the novel coronavirus.  The current pandemic with the outbreak of COVID-19 is caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, and people want to know if they can purchase UV lights for their home to help protect themselves and their family with effective sterilization.  Hospitals have been using UVC lamps in surface sterilization devices and UVC robots to further sterilize patient rooms and surfaces.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, answers your questions about UV Lights and Lamps: Ultraviolet-C Radiation, Disinfection, and Coronavirus. 

UVC Radiation and the SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus

UVC radiation is proven to destroy the SARS-Coronavirus, which is a different coronavirus than what causes COVID-19.  SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19 and given the newness of the virus there are many ongoing research studies to verify accurate dosage of UVC exposure including exposure duration and distance, which is key to effective sterilization with germicidal UVC lamps. 

Studies like this one by Boston University are showing promise with results that show a 99% reduction of the SARS-CoV-2 virus when UVC radiation is dosed at the right level.  This study shows that UV light will deactivate the coronavirus in 6 seconds when dosed at 5 mJ/cm2.  Another study conducted by Biological Consulting Services in Feb.2020, shows effective elimination of SARS-CoV-2 virus and many other stubborn microorganisms in UVGI irradiation with 99.99% effectiveness with 15 minutes of exposure.  With surface sterilization at direct exposure and UVGI air irradiation, hospitals can significantly improve the health of patients and prevent the spread of disease. 

Hospitals using UVC light to eliminate the spread of disease and consumers wishing to purchase UVC lamps to sterilize surfaces at home must remember that direct exposure is key.  UVC radiation will only kill microorganisms that are directly exposed to the UVC radiation emissions.  Inactivation of the virus on surfaces will not be as effective if blocked by shadows, dust, soil or organic compounds which absorb the UV light and reduce the efficacy of sterilization on the surface. 

LightSources Offers High-Quality UVC Germicidal Lamps

LightSources is a leading global supplier of high-quality, high-tech UVC germicidal lamps found in numerous applications worldwide including hospital UV disinfection devices.  We design, engineer and manufacture UVC germicidal lamps to emit the exact wavelength required for your application needs.  We offer a wide selection of standard output, high-output, compact, specialty, amalgam lamps, ozone lamps and more.  

LightSources is a valuable supplier to OEMs worldwide with quality UVC germicidal lamps for air, water and surface sterilization.  We follow strict quality control procedures as part of our ISO9001:2015 registration, delivery quality lamp products on time.  Contact us to speak with an engineer about how LightSources can improve your supply chain with high-tech UVC germicidal lamps.

Solutions for Challenges Facing Hospital Disinfection

 Disinfection practices in hospitals have always been of great concern with the number of patients carrying viruses and bacteria, and the potential exposure to patients with compromised immune systems.  Hospital acquired infections are infections that occur within the first 48 hour of being admitted to the hospital, within the first three days following a hospital discharge or within the first 30 days after an operation.  The Center for Disease Control, CDC, estimates that approximately one in every 25 of hospital patients in the U.S. contracts a hospital acquired infection (HAI).  Many HAIs are resistant to treatment with antibiotics and can lead to sepsis or even death. 

HAIs and disinfecting patient rooms are of great concern for hospital staff for many reasons:

• Patients being discharged may have had a contagious, serious viral or bacterial infection

• Incoming patients are already ill and may have a compromised immune system

• Hospital staff move from room to room and have a high potential to carry pathogens from one patient room to the next

Hospital Cleaning Practices

Hospitals take their cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting practices very seriously. Even with the most careful cleaning procedures, human error can contribute to less than sanitary conditions. Disinfecting patient rooms thoroughly can be challenging due to many factors such as:

• Using contaminated cloths which spread disease

• Using diluted disinfectant cleaning solutions

• Insufficient contact time of cleaners with surfaces

• Human error, cleaning staff can miss an area when manually cleaning

Adding UV Light Disinfection

Adding UV light disinfection to standard hospital cleaning practices has been proven to greatly increase sterilization success. UV light in shortwave UVC radiation quickly eradicates many viruses and bacteria with high efficacy and can reach into places that manual cleaning cannot access.  

UV germicidal lamp manufacturers design and engineer UVC lamps to emit the most powerful wavelength of UVC radiation at 254 nanometer.  UVC radiation penetrates the cells of viruses and bacteria, rendering them unable to replicate and leaving them harmless. High-quality UVC germicidal lamps are the key to effective UV sterilization.

LightSources is a leading global supplier of UVC germicidal lamps, with a wide range of UV germicidal lamp types.  We offer standard low-pressure mercury lamps, amalgam lamps with proprietary technology, Germipak, U-lamps and custom engineered solutions.  Contact us to learn more about our high-performance UV germicidal lamps.

How UV Light Keeps Kitchens Clean

 

Ultraviolet (UV) is a powerful disinfectant used in many applications to sterilize water, air and surfaces.  High intensity UV lamps eliminate harmful pathogens and break down volatile organic compounds (VOCs).  UV radiation in the wavelength of UVC ultraviolet light is highly effective at eradicating bacteria, viruses, mold, mildew and can even break down grease buildup.  UVC germicidal lamps are being used in many residential, industrial and commercial applications such as restaurants and kitchens. 

UVC germicidal lamps can help to keep restaurants and kitchens clean in many areas such as:

• UV air purification for healthy air in eating areas

• UV surface sterilization over food preparation areas

• UV lamps prevent mold and mildew in walk-in freezers

• UV food irradiation to prevent foodborne illnesses

• UV lamps in kitchen exhaust to prevent grease buildup

Commercial kitchens utilizing UV germicidal lamps in kitchen hood exhaust systems experience cleaner kitchen exhaust without grease buildup which also reduces the risk of kitchen grease fires.  Kitchen hood exhausts with UVC lamps provide low-maintenance, self-cleaning technology to help restaurant owners provide a cleaner and safer kitchen and to meet stringent health department code regulations. 

How UV Lamps Eliminate Grease Buildup

UV lamps eliminate grease buildup through a chemical reaction called photolysis and ozonolysis.  Photolysis, or photodissociation, occurs when photons break down oxygen molecules to oxygen atoms, which combine with remaining oxygen molecules to form ozone. Ozone causes a reaction with the organic compounds found in the grease through a process called ozonolysis. Ozonolysis forms byproducts which are easier to clean and reduces grease deposits and buildup in kitchen hood exhaust and duct systems. 

LightSources Offers UVC Lamps for Commercial Kitchen Sterilization

LightSources and LightTech lead the UV germicidal lamp industry with a wide selection of high-performance UV sterilization lamps.  We offer low pressure mercury lamps, amalgam lamps, medium pressure UV lamps, as well as custom and specialty UV lamp solutions.  Our lighting engineers possess deep technical knowledge of UV radiation and technology, offering custom phosphor blends to meet your specific disinfection requirements. 

LightSources is a leading global supplier of UVC germicidal lamps engineered with proprietary UV technology.  Our LongLife+ extends lamp life to outlast and outperform comparable lamps while Shatter ProTech provides shatterproof technology to prevent mercury contamination and increase safety.  Contact us to learn more about our UV sterilization solutions for commercial kitchens and restaurants. 

UVC Robots Are Making an Appearance in Many Places

 

UVC robots can vary in shape or size, from small handheld devices that float across countertops to large, autonomous robots that look like a big fancy space heater on wheels. The UVC germicidal lamps mounted to these robots are the key components in providing high levels of sterilization against many known harmful viruses, bacteria and pathogens. In light of current world events, many hospitals began incorporating UVC robots to sterilize patient rooms, bathrooms and hallways and other public places are taking notice.

You might now see a UVC robot making its way through an airport, in schools and on college campuses and are being utilized in jails and correctional facilities.  UVC radiation has long been known to eradicate many harmful germs including serious viruses, bacteria, and superbugs like vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).  UVC sterilization lamps are known to kill tuberculosis bacteria as well as SARS, a Cov-2 coronavirus strain. 

UV light emitted in the UVC wavelength precisely between 250 and 260 nm is proven to kill many harmful pathogens quickly and effectively. UV light emitted from roaming UVC robots can disinfect hard to reach places in much less time than it would take for a thorough human cleaning.  Combining standard human disinfection practices with UVC robots, however, is more effective than utilizing only one method of sterilization.

LightSources Is a Leading Supplier of UVC Robot Lamps

LightSources and strategic partner LightTech are leading global suppliers of high quality UVC germicidal lamps found in a multitude of sterilization applications worldwide.  We offer a wide selection of germicidal lamps in varying sizes and shapes designed for a multitude of germicidal applications.  

Our proprietary technology such as LongLife₊ which can be applied to all of our germicidal lamps, drastically extends product lifecycle while preventing accelerated depreciation which commonly occurs in high intensity lamps.

The LightSources group offers the world’s leading high-tech UV lamp designers and engineers. Our team is dedicated to extensive research and development and delivering effective, cost-efficient and eco-friendly solutions. Contact us to speak with an engineer and learn how to improve your UVC robot performance with longer-lasting, high-tech UVC germicidal lamps.

How Restaurant Owners Benefit from UV Sterilization

 

Ultraviolet (UV) light has been proven for centuries to eliminate harmful bacteria and viruses and is widely used in many environments and applications for disinfection purposes. UV light sterilization provides overwhelming benefits to many industries, especially restaurants and food preparation facilities. 

Ultraviolet sterilization can be delivered in many ways to protect nearly every single area of a restaurant including food prep countertops, kitchen areas, walk-in freezers, kitchen exhaust hoods, and dining areas. In addition to providing clean surfaces, UV light is used directly on food items in food irradiation which is safe and improves food quality.  UV air purification systems protect patrons from airborne disease and water sterilization ensures clean water free from harmful microorganisms.

Food Irradiation

UV exposure directly to food items is called food irradiation which is completely safe, helps to prevent foodborne illnesses and prolongs food shelf life.  Food irradiation provides many benefits to restaurants such as:

Reduces the risk of foodborne illnesses such as Salmonella, listeria, E. coli and other harmful microorganisms

Extends the shelf life of many food items

Reduces food spoilage

Lowers the risk of importing or exporting pesky insects hidden inside food products

Lessens the need for additives such as antioxidants and preservatives

Lessens the need for pesticides

Reduces early sprouting in potatoes, onions, spices and herbs

UV Surface Sterilization in Restaurants 

UV light sterilization systems provide clean surfaces free from harmful germs, bacteria and viruses simply by emitting UVC light in the right wavelength over countertops and food preparation areas. UV lights can be installed over counters, stoves, food buffets, delis and even walk-in freezers and kitchen hood exhausts.

UV sterilization lamps installed in walk-in freezers help to prevent mold and mildew which can easily occur in cool, damp places. UV lights in kitchen hood exhausts actually help to prevent grease buildup by altering the molecular structure of the grease into components which are more easily cleaned and removed, thus helping to prevent fires.

UV Air Purification Systems in Restaurants

Installing UV air purification systems in HVAC ductwork cleans and sanitizes air circulating through closed in spaces such as restaurant dining areas.  Restaurant owners can provide a healthier dining area for their patrons with clean air, free from airborne contaminants and disease.

LightSources Supports UV Sterilization Systems for Restaurants

LightSources leads the UV germicidal lamp industry with a wide selection of lamps designed for specific sterilization solutions as well as high-tech lamp designers offering custom engineered products. Our lamp engineers are the best in the business with in-depth technical knowledge of UV radiation, lamp design, construction, operation and UV technology.

LightSources supports OEMs worldwide with high-tech, high-quality UVC germicidal lamps. We offer patent protected lamp products and proprietary technology for longer lasting, increased germicidal effectiveness. Contact us to speak with an engineer and learn how to improve your germicidal systems including UVC sterilization for restaurants.

UVC Robots are Disinfecting Hospitals with Germicidal Lamps

 

Current events have drawn attention to the need for greater disinfection and sterilization systems and raised awareness to the benefits of automatic sterilization such as from UVC robots. Ultraviolet (UV) light disinfectant robots are increasing in use in busy, populated areas such as airports, congregation halls and especially in hospitals. UVC robots can eliminate 99.99% of viruses and bacteria in a hospital room in less time than a human can clean the room and with greater effectiveness.  

The UVC radiation emitted from UVC germicidal lamps reaches into corners and crevices, from the ceiling to the baseboards and everything in between without missing a spot that can occur with human cleaning and the possibility of human error. Hospital employees can set the robot up in a patient room and leave the room for about 15 minutes while the robot roams around disinfecting every surface. The employee can come back and simply flip over mattresses and turnover call buttons and leave the room again to run a second cycle.

Hospital acquired infections (HAIs) were already a serious problem before the pandemic of 2020, with nearly 1 in 25 patients in a hospital acquiring an infection due to their stay, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Deploying UVC robots in hospitals provides significant protection to patients against contracting superbugs left in the room from previous patients.

LightSources Offers UVC Germicidal Lamps and Components

LightSources and LightTech are leading global suppliers of high-quality UVC germicidal lamps and components found in a multitude of applications worldwide, including UVC robots. The LightSources group is recognized for employing the leading high-tech lighting engineers in the industry, offering custom designed lamps with custom phosphor blends to meet your specifications. 

We follow a strict quality policy as part of our ISO9001:2015 registration and deliver quality products on-time, worldwide.  We have developed several proprietary technologies which deliver first to market products designed with innovative lighting technology for longer-lasting, high-performance UV lamps. We support OEMs of all sizes with quality product, timely delivery, and prototype solutions.

LightSources is committed to delivering high quality, high performance UVC germicidal lamps proven to prevent the spread of harmful pathogens, bacteria, and viruses. We custom design UVC germicidal lamps to meet your specifications with quick turnaround time on prototypes to high volume production. Contact us to speak with an engineer and learn how to improve your UV lamp and component source with high-quality, cost-effective UV lamp solutions.

Innovative Environmental Technologies and Ecological Solutions

LightSources and our strategic partner, LightTech are world leaders in the manufacturing of quartz germicidal lamps and maintain a large research and development team in order to stay in the forefront of new trends and market demand.  Our R&D division is hard at work developing new environmental technologies and proprietary advanced UV solutions unique to the germicidal industry.

As part of our companies’ mission, we continue to strengthen our leadership role in new, emerging technologies that address the need for effective disinfection, while balancing the need for public safety and environmental protection.  This is why the primary focus of our technologies is to support industries with the innovative tools they need to protect our irreplaceable resources such as clean water and air.    

In addition we are proud of the fact that our UV germicidal technology complies with strict local codes and regulations across the globe.  Our UV germicidal lamps are environmentally friendly as well as chemical free, and unlike germicidal chemical treatments, do not contain corrosive materials and disinfection by-products (DBPs). 

Our line-up of germicidal products include low pressure, medium pressure and high pressure ultra-violent lamps which will effectively sterilize bacteria, mold, fungi, and viruses without the health hazards associated with the use of harmful chemicals.  Another advantage to our energy-efficient UV lamps is that they are extremely long lasting and do not require a lot of maintenance.  Simple to operate, their compact size makes retrofitting a system to UV germicidal technology easy.    

LightSources and LightTech’s ongoing global success is based on our unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction and our cutting-edge methodologies in manufacturing, technology, development and product research.  Our goal is to provide clients with unmatched flexibility and on-time performance with services such as Just-in-time Manufacturing and our Rapid Prototype Program.  See our website to learn more about our UV germicidal lamps as well as other standard and customized lighting solutions. 

LightSources and our strategic partner LightTech, along with our affiliated companies, represent the leading high-tech designers and manufacturers in the lamp industry today.  Our products are used world-wide in a multitude of applications and industries such as our UV germicidal lamps that offer patent-protected, OEM-oriented solutions.  Please contact us to learn more about our extensive selection of lamps.

MPUV Technology for Wastewater and Marine Ballast Water Treatment

LightSources and LightTech expertly design, engineer and manufacture a line of medium pressure ultraviolet (MPUV) lamps in our state-of-the-art facilities using the finest materials available.  These high-quality MPUV lamps are perfect for use in industries such as wastewater disinfection and marine ballast water treatment systems.   

Our MPUV lamps provide at least 1,000 hours of life under normal operating conditions and are guaranteed for a period of one year after manufacture for any defects in materials and workmanship.  Since MPUV lamps yield a higher UVC output than low pressure ultraviolet lamps (LPUV), they have the ability to easily handle higher flow rates of water disinfection than LPUV.  Another benefit is they have a compact footprint that makes it easy to retrofit a system with our MPUV lamps.

Furthermore, the lamps produce a polychromatic (emission of multiple wavelengths) output.  The advantage of the polychromatic output is that it is used to promote advanced oxidation processes (AOP’s) and is very effective in reducing and removing micro-pollutants  such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, insecticides, etc. in waste water.

Another thing we offer to our clients is the opportunity to fully customize our MPUV lamps to fit your individual specifications and applications needs.  LightSources’ lamps start at 100 watts per inch and go all the way up to as high as 700 watts per inch.  The arc lengths of our MPUV’s range from 2 inches right up to 85 inches.  All of our lamps are manufactured using high-quality, ultra-low water content fused quartz, and contain molybdenum foil within hard quartz capillaries to provide the lamps with a hermetic seal. 

Constructed with pure tungsten pin electrodes with an over-wind of throated tungsten, we use an exacting process to pump and fill each lamp with an inert Argon gas to ensure accuracy of the fill pressure and mercury content.  Also our lamps are marked with a serial number that allows us to trace the process from start to finish in regards to production and measurement.  Furthermore, we have an extensive line of metal and ceramic bases suitable for electrical termination and that provide a safe and effective electrical conductivity.  

LightSources and our affiliated companies represent the leading high-tech designers and manufacturers in the lamp industry today.  Our team consists of the most highly skilled professionals that specialize in a range of innovative solutions.  Please contact us to learn more about our broad range of standard and custom ultraviolet lamps.