of several manners as will be described below this manner of combining the constituents slows the formation of chlorine dioxide clo 2 the system of the invention generally does not use strong mineral acids such as hydrochloric acid because when such a strong mineral acid is used it will form chlorine dioxide too swiftly for time release applications the constituents are slow to act to form the chlorine dioxide gas clo 2 and there is a slow release of the chlorine dioxide gas clo 2 there is a time release care is taken to produce a strong enough solution to produce sufficient chlorine dioxide clo 2 to eliminate spoilage and pathogenic organisms on food items but at the same time weak enough to prevent any oxidation of the food items and weak enough to obtain the desired slow time release of the chlorine dioxide gas clo 2 the solutions that are delivered into the mixing chamber 16 are substantially thoroughly mixed in the mixing chamber the effluent of the mixing chamber 16 is a substantially homogenous acidified sodium chlorite solution this solution will slowly produce and release chlorine dioxide gas clo 2 over a period of hours and even days fig5 shows the substantially homogenous acidified sodium chlorite solution being delivered by conduit 60 into admixture with water in a conduit 62 as the sodium chlorite gas clo 2 is released in the water it will purify the water fig6 shows the effluent from the mixing chamber 16 being delivered into an ice maker 74 ice 66 that is discharged from the.