Keeping a Military Kitchen Ready - Why Norway's Armed Forces Chose Antimicrobial Blue Light over UVC
Ørland Air Station is one of Norway's key military air bases and regularly hosts NATO operations and allied forces. Its kitchen prepares around 700 meals every day for Norwegian and allied military personnel. During the renovation of the kitchen facility, the Armed Forces wanted a non-chemical disinfection solution that would complement chemical disinfection and provide continuous protection without placing additional strain on personnel or equipment. Their choice was Spectral Blue MWHI® multi-wavelength antimicrobial blue light (aBL).
This customer story was prepared by our Norwegian distributor Labolytic and is published with permission of the Norwegian Armed Forces.
Tom Christian Hammer, Provisions Manager at Ørland Air Station, participated in evaluating the available technologies and selecting the final solution.
A busy kitchen where hygiene cannot be compromised
The Norwegian Armed Forces require regular chemical cleaning to be complemented by a non-chemical disinfection method. At the same time, the solution has to fit naturally into the daily operation of the kitchen and continue supporting hygiene over the long term.
Raw ingredients pass through several handling stages before meals are served. Fresh produce such as fruit and vegetables is received, stored, prepared and presented throughout the day. With continuous activity and frequent use of work surfaces, maintaining a high level of hygiene is a constant priority.
Food safety must be ensured regardless of production volume or workload. In a military environment, this is also an important part of operational readiness.
"We need to be confident in what we serve to our personnel," says Hammer. "Hot meals should be consumed within two hours, while ready-to-eat foods such as sliced fruit move through the kitchen very quickly. Cutting boards are replaced frequently, and we depend on excellent hygiene to prevent bacterial growth in both the kitchen and storage areas."
The traditional alternatives had practical drawbacks
To meet the requirement for an additional disinfection step, the team evaluated the two most common alternatives - UVC radiation and hot water. Both are established technologies, but previous experience had revealed practical challenges.
"Our experience with UVC was that it caused cracking and damage to plastic components and equipment. We also had to consider personnel safety, as UVC is directly harmful to people," says Hammer.
Hot water was the second option. Here, the assessment also included the impact on equipment and the risk of burns.
"From our perspective, health and safety was clearly the most important consideration."
An unexpected alternative
Although UVC had traditionally been the preferred solution, the team felt it was not the best fit for their application. During a trade fair they met Labolytic, who introduced another option - antimicrobial blue light (aBL).
Through discussions with the manufacturer, Spectral Blue (LED Tailor Oy), they learned how antimicrobial blue light works and how it can be used safely in occupied spaces at the intended operating levels. They also saw that the technology could be combined with milder cleaning chemicals than they had previously used.
"We took time to understand the technology properly and considered what it would mean in our own operation. After that, the choice became quite clear."
The kitchen selected the Spectral Blue system with permanently installed ceiling-mounted disinfection devices.
What is antimicrobial blue light?
Antimicrobial blue light, typically in the wavelength range of 400-470 nm, has been shown to reduce microbial contamination by activating naturally occurring photosensitive molecules inside microbial cells. This leads to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damage microbial cells and eventually inactivate them.
Unlike UVC, antimicrobial blue light can be used continuously at appropriate exposure levels without the material compatibility challenges commonly associated with UVC. This makes it well suited for environments such as large kitchens, where hygiene measures need to become part of normal daily operation.
Planned around the workstations
During the design phase, computer-based 3D simulations were carried out to visualise the light distribution throughout the kitchen. This helped optimise the placement of the disinfection devices in areas where the antimicrobial effect was considered most important.
"The workbenches were our main focus. That was where we wanted the strongest effect. At the same time, we noticed that reflected light also reached floors and surrounding areas."
The project required close cooperation throughout the installation. During the renovation, the layout of several workstations changed, and the device positions were adjusted accordingly. The Finnish manufacturer, Spectral Blue by LED Tailor, remained flexible throughout the process.
"For a period I worked on this project several days every week. We adjusted the locations of both the workbenches and the disinfection devices whenever needed. I quickly realised that someone had to follow the project closely, and it was positive that the Armed Forces recognised the importance of that role."
"The implementation process with Spectral Blue was very well organised and straightforward."
Part of everyday operation
The system has now been in operation for about one year. The blue light is used as a permanent supplementary hygiene measure in selected work zones and cold storage rooms.
The devices are controlled by occupancy sensors and switch off automatically whenever people are working in the area. For many employees this was something new, so time was invested in explaining how the technology works.
"Being open about the technology has been important. Many people are familiar with UVC and know that it can be hazardous. That is why it was important to explain what antimicrobial blue light is, and what it does."
Practical results and the additional benefit of reduced food waste
During a recent visit, simple bacterial surface samples were taken from areas with and without antimicrobial blue light. Bacterial growth was observed only in the areas without blue light exposure. Although these were not part of a formal scientific study, the observations supported the kitchen's own experience of the technology in everyday use. The Armed Forces are now considering including similar sampling as part of their routine hygiene monitoring.
The kitchen has also observed improvements in the storage life of certain fresh products.
"We previously had some issues with mould developing on certain products. Since introducing blue light in the cold storage areas, the situation has improved significantly. We have seen this with tomatoes, cucumbers and bananas, among others."
The observations also support the kitchen's efforts to reduce food waste.
"We always try to minimise food waste, so this has been a very positive benefit."
Supporting everyday food safety
Today, antimicrobial blue light has become part of the daily operation in the kitchen of Ørland Air Station.
For Tom Christian Hammer, the main value lies in having confidence that hygiene is maintained throughout a busy production environment.
"When we know that both our ingredients and our work surfaces are handled properly throughout the process, we know we are doing our job. We are very satisfied with Spectral Blue. I believe most of my colleagues would say the same."
About Spectral Blue / LED Tailor Oy
LED Tailor is a Finnish life-science company specializing in the development and manufacture of chemical-free disinfection solutions based on antimicrobial blue light (aBL). Our solutions contribute to better surface hygiene and air quality in cleanrooms, food industry, laboratories, healthcare facilities, and sites with indoor air quality issues.
More information:
Karin Henricson
SVP, Global Sales Director, LED Tailor Oy
karin.henricson@ledtailor.fi
+358 44 766 9022
www.spectral.blue
Labolytic, Spectral Blue distributor in Norway:
Phone: (+47) 47 77 77 60
Email: bestilling@labolytic.no
Web: https://labolytic.no/
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