Aerosolization as novel sanitizer delivery system to reduce food-borne pathogens.
OBJECTIVE
As a preliminary experiment on new sanitizer delivery tools, the efficacy of aerosolized sanitizer on food-borne pathogens was investigated in larger model chamber system.


METHODS
Peroxyacetic acid and hydrogen peroxide were aerosolized in a model system against artificially inoculated target micro-organisms on laboratory media. Cultures of four different food-borne pathogens were inoculated and affixed onto three different heights (bottom, wall and ceiling), and three different orientations (face-down, vertical and face-down) inside a commercial semi-trailer cabinet (14.6 x 2.6 x 2.8 m). Sanitizer was aerosolized into 2 microm droplet size fog and treated for 1 h at ambient temperature.


RESULTS
Populations of Bacillus cereus, Listeria innocua, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella typhimurium were reduced by an average of 3.09, 7.69, 6.93 and 8.18 log units per plate respectively. Interestingly, L. innocua, Staph. aureus, and Salm. typhimurium showed statistically not different (P >/= 0.05) reduction patterns relative to height and orientation that were never expected in a spraying system.


CONCLUSIONS
Aerosolized sanitizers diffuse like gaseous sanitizers.


CONCLUSIONS
Aerosolization has great potential for use in commercial applications.
Oh
S-W
SW
Food Safety Research Division, Korea Food Research Institute, Korea.
Gray
P M
PM
Dougherty
R H
RH
Kang
D-H
DH
D000336:Aerosols; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000187:drug effects; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005516:Food Microbiology / Q000592:standards; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008087:Listeria / Q000187:drug effects; D010463:Peracetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012485:Salmonella typhi / Q000187:drug effects; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects
D000336:Aerosols; D004202:Disinfectants; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D010463:Peracetic Acid