Subject: FW: Inquiry Regarding Use of Processing Aids and Chlorine-Based Wash Systems in Estonia
From: "Ewoud Buter" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2025 16:49:27 +0300

Tähelepanu! Tegemist on väljastpoolt asutust saabunud kirjaga. Tundmatu 
saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada.

Dear Estonian Health Board,

As you can see in the email chain here below, Joanna-Maria Usar (Chief 
Specialist - Food Safety Department - Ministry of Regional Affairs and 
Agriculture) directed me to you.

We would like to request some information to better understand the 
regulatory framework in Estonia regarding fruit and vegetable processing. 
This will help us assess whether we can do business in your country 
directly, or if our customers may deliver treated produce to Estonia.

Brief introduction:

SmartWash Solutions offers a highly effective washing methodology for the 
fruit and vegetable market. With our concept, processors continuously 
monitor and control the chemistry of their wash water to improve food 
safety. With our wash methodology a chlorinated disinfectant (we as 
SmartWash Solutions do not deliver the disinfectant (biocide) - our customer 
is responsible to purchase this at their chemical supplier, locally) is used 
to mitigate cross-contamination of pathogens during the wash step in the 
processing plant, and to help prevent product recalls or outbreaks.

Can you please answer the following questions:

Chlorinated wash methodology

a.	Could you please confirm whether the use of a well-controlled, 
chlorine-based wash systems is permitted for fruit and vegetable processing 
in Estonia?
b.	Is it permitted for our customers to use our washing methodology in 
another EU country and then distribute the washed produce into Estonia?
c.	At the EU level, Regulation (EU) 2020/749 defines strict MRLs for 
chlorates (a disinfectant by-product - DBP).

a.     Does Estonia apply these harmonized EU MRL values, as most other 
member states do, or are there national deviations?

Thanks for your positive reply.

Met vriendelijke groet / Kind regards / Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Ewoud Buter

Cell: +31.6.1544.1290

 <http://www.smartwashsolutions.com/>

Van: Joanna-Maria Usar <[email-masked]>
Verzonden: donderdag 4 september 2025 13:54
Aan: Ewoud Buter <[email-masked]>
CC: Katrin Lõhmus <[email-masked]>
Onderwerp: RE: Inquiry Regarding Use of Processing Aids and Chlorine-Based 
Wash Systems in Estonia

Caution: External Email

Dear Mr. Buter

Unfortunately, we are not able to address these questions, as issues 
concerning the chemical safety of water—including wash water used for 
foodstuffs—fall outside the expertise of our department. The competent 
authority for water-related matters is the Estonian Health Board, which will 
be best placed to advise you on the matter of chlorinated water. To ensure 
the quickest and most accurate guidance as well as to remove the need for 
intermediary correspondence, we kindly suggest contacting the Estonian 
Health Board directly at [email-masked] <mailto:[email-masked]>

Kind regards,

Joanna-Maria Usar

Chief Specialist
Food Safety Department

Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture

______________________________

 <mailto:[email-masked]> [email-masked]

+ 372 5688 4193

Suur-Ameerika tn 1 / 10122 Tallinn / Estonia

 <http://www.agri.ee/> www.agri.ee

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From: Ewoud Buter <[email-masked] 
<mailto:[email-masked]> >
Sent: kolmapäev, 3. september 2025 17:02
To: Joanna-Maria Usar <[email-masked] 
<mailto:[email-masked]> >
Subject: RE: Inquiry Regarding Use of Processing Aids and Chlorine-Based 
Wash Systems in Estonia

Dear Joanna-maria,

Thanks for your reply, sometimes important questions need some extra time, 
we know 😉

Good to read that contamination must be prevented during the processing 
steps of fruit and vegetables, so a biocide is required. Most used 
disinfection in this market is sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl (l) 12 or 12,5 % 
Food Grade). Our customers will buy this disinfection themselves with their 
local chemical supplier(s). Chlorine is in general an EU accepted biocide 
for fruit and vegetable washing, but my question was only theoretically, if 
chlorinated wash water is allowed at Estonian processors with washing fruit 
and vegetables. And if for example processors from another EU country (let’s 
say Latvia) uses our chlorine based wash system, can they export this to 
Estonia?

Can you please reply on these situations?

Thanks in advance.

Met vriendelijke groet / Kind regards / Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Ewoud Buter

Cell: +31.6.1544.1290

 <http://www.smartwashsolutions.com/>