Finnamyl Replaces UV with Antimicrobial Blue Light in the Laboratory

Finnamyl, part of the Chemigate Group, is a food sector company specializing in processing potatoes into protein and starch products for food and feed use, as well as for industrial applications such as fertilizers and innovative renewable sugar-based polymers. Committed to circular economy principles, Finnamyl maximizes resource efficiency by utilizing the entire raw material and recycling both water and heat throughout production.

Upon renovating and modernizing their QA microbiology laboratory, Finnamyl decided to install the modern and safe Spectral Blue MWHI® (multi-wavelength high-intensity) antimicrobial blue light (aBL) disinfection system instead of using hazardous UV lamps.
 
- The microbiology laboratory routinely screens raw materials for total microbial count, yeast and mold, enterobacteriaceae, E. coli, and Bacillus cereus. To safeguard the integrity of their analysis results and prevent cross-contamination, it is important to keep the laboratory free from microbial contamination.
 
While searching for a UV system for the laboratory, a colleague from an accredited laboratory recommended the blue-light-based Spectral Blue system instead. The choice was easy: unlike UV, Spectral Blue is completely safe for staff, maintenance-free, and contains no mercury.
 
- Sustainability is integral to all of Finnamyl’s operations. Eliminating toxic substances such as mercury from their processes is paramount. The group has been awarded the highest possible recognition in the EcoVadis sustainability assessment -- the Platinum Medal. This level is achieved by only 1% of organizations, placing Finnamyl among the top-performing companies worldwide in terms of corporate responsibility.
 
Staff safety is also essential. Having experienced close calls with old UV systems in the past, the staff and management are pleased to now have a system that is safe for people to be around. 
 
When it comes to reliability, the LED-based Spectral Blue system offers a lifetime of up to 50,000 hours, whereas traditional UV lamps degrade invisibly over time and often lose effectiveness within 12 months, requiring constant performance monitoring. Spectral Blue emits visible blue light — when the light is on, you can trust it’s working. This simple visual cue ensures staff confidence and operational clarity, without the uncertainty that comes with invisible UV degradation, providing peace of mind and consistent hygiene assurance.
 
The Finnamyl team has been very happy with their choice, appreciating the easy installation and effortless use — and have since expanded the use of Spectral Blue to other sites within the group.