Structural Microbial Risk in Commercial Ice Production Systems and Oxidative Control Using Stabilized Mineral Oxychloride Technology (JC 9465)

Structural Microbial Risk in Commercial Ice Production Systems and Oxidative Control Using Stabilized Mineral Oxychloride Technology (JC 9465) Katie Cimino Jenfitch, Inc. Abstract Commercial ice production systems are widely assumed to present minimal microbiological risk due to freezing. This assumption is not supported by microbiological principles. Freezing suspends microbial replication but does not ensure lethality. Pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms can survive freeze–thaw cycles and regain metabolic activity upon melting. In addition, biofilm formation within ice production infrastructure provides a protected microbial reservoir that is resistant to conventional sanitation strategies. This paper examines microbial survival in frozen systems, the structural role of biofilm in ice production equipment, and the limitations of concentration-driven chlorination. The application of stabilized mineral oxychloride technology, specifically JC 9465, is evaluated as a method for sustained oxidative control capable of disrupting biofilm and suppressing microbial reactivation at low dosing concentrations. Maintaining elevated oxidation–reduction potential in feed water demonstrates a viable approach to structural microbial management in commercial ice systems.