The dual power of broad-spectrum disinfectant and residual effect

The production of safe food for the consumer is a prerequisite for all food chain, from livestock farms through the food industry to the catering sector. Hygiene and disinfection play a key role in the various strategies to be implemented. Disinfection is the fundamental and final phase, and formulations with high biocidal efficacy must be used, even in the presence of certain levels of organic matter, such as MIDA SAN 333 HN, a broad spectrum disinfectant with a residual effect that considerably reduces the presence of microorganisms on surfaces once the sanitising tasks have been carried out, and the practical elimination of pathogenic microorganisms. Residual effect means that the product retains its biocidal activity over a long period of time until it is removed by rinsing the disinfected surfaces before the next production day.

It should be borne in mind that in order to achieve maximum effectiveness with disinfection, it is important that it is carried out on clean surfaces, wetting all surfaces with the disinfectant solution and leaving the product to act for a minimum of 15 minutes. In this sense, and apart from its components, it is important to clarify beforehand the expected function of the disinfectant: if you want one with residual action, which exerts its effect for a longer period of time, as is the case of the disinfectant MIDA SAN 333 HN, or a disinfectant with little residual action which eliminates its biocidal action after its action time.

The first type of disinfectants are suitable for the disinfection of surfaces where a long period of biocidal activity is desired, e.g. in footbaths controlling access to production plants. In this case, residual action is important because otherwise, cross-contamination of pathogenic organisms such as Listeria monocytogenes through shoes and floors where personnel circulate may occur. On the other hand, in elements that will come into contact with food quickly, such as liquid food packaging circuits, benches or the belts themselves, among many others, little residual action associated with a rapid biocidal action is desirable.

Taking into consideration all the concepts and alternatives described above, Christeyns has developed biocide formulations of both types. In this post we talk about a disinfectant with high residual action and persistence, MIDA SAN 333 HN. It is a high performance biocide suitable for general disinfection of surfaces and utensils in the food industry as well as in livestock facilities.

This disinfectant is designed on the basis of a synergistic combination of two highly effective active ingredients, such as quaternary ammonium and glutaraldehyde, both in high concentration. This combination allows a high disinfectant action, even under conditions of improper cleaning and a certain level of soiling. The biocide can be used by hand scrubbing, spraying or immersion. It can be applied hot or cold, with hard or soft water, leaving it to act as long as possible in contact with the surface to be disinfected. It should be borne in mind that, as it is a biocide, surfaces that come into contact with food should be rinsed with water after application of the disinfectant.

Components of Mida San 333 HN

Glutaraldehyde is a broad-spectrum biocidal active substance with efficacy against bacteria, moulds, viruses and also mycobacteria. Glutaraldehyde acts on proteins by denaturation, and on nucleic acids and proteins by alkylation. At the level of nucleic acids, the reaction is irreversible on the cell wall, glutaraldehyde acts at the level of the peptidoglycan cross-bridges. The reaction with receptive nucleotides takes place rapidly and the equilibrium is tilted towards hydroxymethylation.

The reaction products of tertiary amines with alkyl halides are known as quaternary ammonium salts. Quaternary ammonium compounds are bactericides, fungicides and virucides. They are active in both acidic and alkaline media, although they are more active in alkaline media. Of the quaternary ammonium derivatives, benzalkonium chloride was the first such compound introduced on the market, with good bactericidal activity. Quaternary ammonium compounds have good detergent activity and remain active even in the presence of hard water. Their biocidal efficacy is achieved by their ability to penetrate the membranes of micro-organisms due to their carbon (hydrophobic) chains.

The efficacy of a broad-spectrum disinfectant

The disinfectant MIDA SAN 333 HN has been tested against the microorganisms required by legislation, and against others of health interest, such as Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, moulds and viruses. It has also been tested against Campylobacter jejuni, a micro-organism linked to food toxi-infections originating in poultry meat, obtaining a reduction of 5 logarithms in the initial microbial population with a contact time of 5 minutes at a dose of 0.1%. Against Salmonella kentucki and Listeria monocytogenes a 5 log reduction was achieved with a 5 minute contact time at the tested dose of 1%.

Its residual effect and high efficacy make it especially recommended in situations of persistent pathogen contamination in facilities, both in shock and preventive treatments. In the former, it is important to combine its action with a product that allows the elimination of biofilms, either formulated with enzymes, such as the MIDA ENZY range from Christeyns, or with biocides and surfactants, such as MIDA San 327 BF. This achieves the highest levels of disinfection and control of microbial contamination in such complex elements as plucking and evisceration machines in poultry slaughterhouses, automatic cutting lines, slaughterhouses for slaughter animals and pigs, cutting plants, and all those facilities where a high level of hygiene is required.

Despite its residual action, proper rinsing of surfaces can eliminate its presence, and this can be quickly confirmed by means of test strips.

MIDA SAN 333 HN can be incorporated into farm biosecurity strategies, where biosecurity is defined as the set of practices that prevent the introduction of infection into a farm and the spread of disease within the farm. The basis of good biosecurity is hygiene, and particularly the proper disinfection of facilities. The disinfection of livestock facilities with MIDA SAN 333 HN is therefore of great importance, as it is highly effective against viruses that cause diseases in livestock, such as African swine fever. It is recommended for use on the surfaces of facilities and equipment, as well as in footbaths for shoe disinfection, or in the disinfection arches of lorries and the wheels of animal transport vehicles.

MIDA SAN 333 HN in the control of Salmonella in the poultry industry

The design, implementation and results of a C&D protocol for the control of Salmonella in the slaughterhouse area of a poultry industry, using MIDA SAN 333 HN as a terminal disinfectant, are detailed below. The reason for the development of this procedure was the continuous presence of Salmonella in the different elements of the facility. The procedure, carried out over two continuous days, consisted of the double-phase sanitisation (cleaning and disinfection) of all the elements, controlling all the parameters of interest (inspection of the development of the procedure, control of doses, quality of the cleaning water, action times of the disinfectant, rinsing of the installations, etc.).

The procedure implemented is described:

1. Foaming of the hanging rooms and the slaughterhouse with a disinfectant detergent: MIDA FOAM 196 FI, at a dose of 1-3%, applied by means of a foam pump.
2. The hanging, scalding, plucking and evisceration rooms were disinfected with MIDA SAN 333 HN the 1-2% dose room.
3. Surface samples were taken for determination of the presence of Salmonella.

The results obtained after the C&D practices, by wipe sampling and PCR analysis, were as follows:

MIDA SAN 333 HN is a disinfectant indicated against fungi, bacteria, yeasts and viruses. Its microbicidal capacity has been tested against: Salmonella, Listeria; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Newcastle virus; Myxomatosis; African swine fever virus; etc. A broad-spectrum disinfectant for disinfection in both the food and livestock industries, making it a vital component in the latter to achieve biosafety in the facilities.