Summary
Abstract
This study investigated residual bacteria and different food types left on tableware items after various washing and sanitization protocols. Escherichia coli K-12 and Staphylococcus epidermidis were inoculated into whole milk and soft cream cheese. The milk was used to contaminate regular drinking glasses and the cheese was used to contaminate plates and silverware. These tableware items were washed in manual (43 C) and mechanical (49 C) washers and sanitized with different sanitizers (24 C) for 5 s. Quaternary ammonium compound, sodium hypochlorite, peroxyacetic acid, neutral electrolyzed water (NEW), and a combination of citric acid with sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (acidic formulation) were used as the chemical sanitizers. Tap water was used as a control. Results showed that at least 5-log reductions in both bacterial numbers were achieved for all sanitizers in both types of washers, except for the control. With mechanical dishwashing, the NEW and acidic formulation treatments reduced bacterial populations by >6.9 and >6.0 log CFU per tableware item, respectively. With the manual operation, bacterial numbers were reduced by >5.4 and >6.0 log CFU per tableware item, respectively. This study revealed that NEW and the acidic formulation are as effective as the other chemical sanitizers for food contact surface sanitization in manual and mechanical ware washing.
Study details
- Published in: Journal of Food Protection 72.6 (2009): 1315-1320
- Microbes studied: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis
Source
Source: Journal of Food Protection 72.6 (2009): 1315-1320
Conditions tested
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Organisms | Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp. |
| Relevant sectors | Contact surfaces, Food Processing |
| Publication | Journal of Food Protection, 2009 |
Reading this responsibly
Published figures are obtained under controlled conditions, usually on clean surfaces or in defined matrices. Organic load, surface condition, temperature and application coverage all affect real-world performance. Use these numbers to design a protocol, then validate it on your own site with environmental swabbing.
Applying it
Concentrations in this range are within the adjustable output of every EcoloxTech commercial system, so implementing this protocol is a settings question rather than a procurement one. Where the claim needs to sit on a registered label, see HOCl-AS200, EPA Reg. No. 101112-1.