People use their cellphones everywhere—including bringing them into bathrooms—and one study revealed a cellphone carries 10 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. Considering people are constantly touching their phones and checking on average 80 times a day, that makes for lots of germs being passed around.

With more and more people bringing their personal devices to work with them, it creates a greater risk for unwanted and harmful bacteria getting in places that they shouldn’t be. This is particularly worrisome for those in the food industry and healthcare fields.

CleanSlate UV, a Buffalo, N.Y.-based infection control company, offers an EPA-approved UV light sanitizer that the company says can kill 99.99 percent of harmful bacteria on mobile devices and tablets in under 30 seconds.

The company recently filed an FTC complaint against Utah-based PhoneSoap LLC, which claims its PhoneSoap Med+ Ultraviolet disinfection solution is ideal for hospital systems and other industries worried about the rising problem.

Taylor Mann, the CEO of CleanSlate UV, alleges PhoneSoap’s marketing assertions are unsubstantiated and that the positive performance of the Med+ Ultraviolet has been overstated.

“The reason for the complaint is that this is a quickly growing industry and a significant problem being faced by a lot of facilities, and they need answers and demand solutions that offer really good science that they’re going to be consistently effective,” he says. “Consider food processors. They need to rely on these claims from manufacturers that these phone and tablets and other portable devices being brought into the production facilities are properly sanitized so their products are not at risk.”

Based on what PhoneSoap was saying—and promising— CleanSlate UV felt the need to alert the FTC because its claims, they believe based on the data they saw, would put people at risk of having devices that were not properly sanitized inside these facilities, and had no other recourse.

The Root of The Claim

Last September, CleanSlate UV became privy to documentation that PhoneSoap was showing potential customers in the healthcare industry data that seemed questionable. Mann says the company immediately questioned PhoneSoap’s efficacy claims, testing methods, and its product’s marketed instructions for use.

One of the biggest issues was the testing didn’t include soiling, so it was assumed that a mobile device would be pre-cleaned before every use, but there were no parameters in place to ensure that.

Also, the data showed testing was done in 45-second cycles, though the marketing efforts mentioned it would be 30 seconds.

Additionally, the bacteria used in PhoneSoap’s testing did not align with the specific pathogens claimed in their marketing materials, furthering the red flags.

Though this complaint was targeted for those in the medical field, Mann worries that food processors could see the claims or be targeted as clients themselves.

Wiping it Down

Regardless of what industry someone works in, everyone should be cleaning their phones regularly and proper hand sanitation is important for everyone.

Mann says that’s a very complex challenge as a lot of people don’t want to or don’t take the time to disinfect their phones properly. That further plays into the complaint, as PhoneSoap’s solution did not take that into consideration, he alleges.

“Chemical wipes right now are the default in hospitals, but also in a lot of food facilities where you’ll have Ecolab or other typical multipurpose surface disinfection products, but the phone or other devices tend to stay in pockets,” he says. “People are constantly going in and out of these areas, going across red lines into production facilities, which are mandating pretty strict hand hygiene protocols with critical control points. But then the phones are touched as soon as they get over that red line.”

The big challenge that many food facilities and biotech facilities are facing right now is the difficulty in ensuring those devices are wiped down every time, in part because a lot of people don’t want to put corrosive chemicals on their phones.

Mann says that simply because the new solution is being used, it’s not going to solve the problem that already exists, which is getting employees to use it in the first place. “Compliance is ultimately the main goal,” he stresses.

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UV Disinfection

S.A.G.E. UV is an antimicrobial line of germ-killing products that combines a broad spectrum of UV and violet blue light with motion sensor technology and artificial intelligence to automatically kill germs whenever a room is unoccupied. According to the company, it effectively kills up to 99.9% of the most common germs from as far as 3 meters away. By combining UV-C, UV-B, UV-A, and violet blue light, S.A.G.E. UV optimizes the amount of the germ-killing energy delivered through the air and onto any contact surface. This causes inactivation of microbes and inhibits reproduction, preventing the spread of harmful bacteria and viruses. Violet Defense Technology, 407-433-1104, www.violetdefense.com.

Condensation Management

Condensation Management Film is an adhesive film designed to manage intermittent condensation formed during the sanitation process in food processing environments. Its wicking technology minimizes the release and transfer of hanging water droplets. The adhesive increases the evaporation rate, with lab studies showing condensation drops evaporating on average 10 times faster than natural evaporation, says company. Unlike traditional methods, Condensation Management Film can minimize the release and transfer of condensation droplets, improving plant hygiene. The film can be applied to many metal and plastic surfaces including galvanized and stainless steel, PVC, aluminum, and copper at 5-10 ft./min. 3M, 800-362-3550, www.3M.com.

Oxygen Absorbing Flexible Packaging

NutraSave, a resin technology, keeps foods fresher and enhances the consumer appeal of popular brands while minimizing food waste and costs. Embedded as a film layer within flexible packaging, it removes oxygen trapped within sealed packages to safely extend and protect original food flavors, aromas, and textures without the need for sachets or packets. Ideal for retort packaging applications, NutraSave protects products such as soups, sauces, processed fruit, protein bars, prepared meals, and wet pet foods, as well as natural and organic and gluten-free products that are particularly vulnerable to food spoilage. The preservative-free innovation, which prevents mold growth and color changes, is FDA compliant. Mitsubishi Gas Chemical America, www.mgc-a.com.

Food Safety Spill Kits

The Premium Food Safety Spill Kit featuring GOJO Industries’ PURELL Foodservice Surface Sanitizer ensures all biohazard cleanup materials for a single event can be accessed at once when needed. Each kit contains a bilingual training guide, protective equipment for employees, and disposal supplies for the safe removal of fluids. Kits are easy-to-access capsules—easy for staff to get to when accidents happen and easy for health department inspectors to see that an establishment is prepared. The kits contain everything an operator needs—and everything used in the kit is designed and portioned for immediate disposal upon completion of the cleanup, a critical final step. OSHAKits.com, 800-270-0153, www.oshakits.com.

PCR Enterobacteriaceae Kit

The iQ-Check Enterobacteriaceae PCR Detection Kit can provide results in as little as 3 hours following a single enrichment. Developed as an open and flexible system, the kit can be used for up to 94 samples on high- or low-throughput Bio-Rad instruments. According to company, it is designed as a multiplex reaction that includes an internal inhibition control that is amplified in parallel with the target DNA for a reliable result with negative result validation.  Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., 800-424-6723,  www.bio-rad.com.

Engineless Refrigeration Unit

The 35X direct-drive unit provides refrigeration for perishable and frozen cargoes for small- to medium-sized box trucks and large delivery vans. It offers refrigeration capacity of 10,500 BTUs at 35 degrees F (100 F ambient). The 35X includes an exterior-mounted condenser unit, a compressor that mounts to the truck engine, and a narrow-profile SlimLine evaporator that fits tightly to the ceiling of the cargo area, helping to maximize cargo space. As a split system, the 35X unit provides flexible mounting options for the condenser, either to the nose of a box truck or roof of a van. The unit’s Cab Command 2 digital controller provides quick setpoint configuration and the ability to program the unit for automatic defrost cycles. It also offers diagnostic capabilities and hour-meters to track usage for service interval planning. Carrier Transicold, 800-227-7437, www.transicold.carrier.com.

Optical Sorter for Nut Processing

The SORTEX F optical sorter provides hygienic design and high capacity performance for the nut and dried fruit processing industry. Available with SORTEX BioVision technology, it provides 3-in-1 detection of color defects, shell, and foreign materials. Featuring a stainless steel, open design frame with sloped surfaces, hygienic conduits, and food-safe grade fixings, the SORTEX F helps to eliminate the risk of cross-contamination and product buildup, as well as preventing the growth of pathogenic bacteria that can induce foodborne diseases in low moisture foods. All polymer materials are resistant to high pressure washer jets or air and conform to FDA regulations. Bühler Group, www.buhlergroup.com.

Metal Detector/Magnetic Separator Systems

Metal Detector/Magnetic Separator “Double Team” Systems offer customers protection against ferrous and nonferrous metal contamination. The first new system is a Magnetic B Trap followed by an XtremeLiquid Line Metal Detector. The magnet removes the ferrous contamination from the pumped liquid product, improving product quality and minimizing rejected material from the downstream metal detector with automatic rejection. The metal detector is left to focus on detecting and rejecting non-magnetic tramp metals, such as aluminum and stainless steel. The other new system pairs a Magnetic Grate-in-Housing with an Xtreme Gravity Drop Vertical Metal Detector. The magnet removes the ferrous contamination from the gravity-dropped material to enhance product quality and reduce rejected material from the downstream metal detector with auto reject. Both systems ensure compliance with HACCP programs and regulations set forth by various federal agencies. Eriez,  888-300-3743, www.eriez.com.

Sterile Air Filters

The P-SRF filter line includes two variations: P-SRF V, a borosilicate depth media suitable for final filtration of processes and venting applications; and P-SRF X, a pleated PTFE final membrane filter in a strong stainless-steel housing designed for extreme conditions and temperatures. Both filters deliver a log reduction value of 7 or greater for bacteria, viruses, and particles (down to 3 nanometers) to improve product and process integrity. Mechanical stability and temperature resistance up to 392 degrees F. Superior de-wetting characteristics for faster filter drying times. Donaldson Co., Inc., 800-543-3634, www.donaldson.com.

The post Food Quality & Safety New Products: Dec. 2017/Jan. 2018 appeared first on Food Quality & Safety.

For centuries, silver has offered an alternative use as an antimicrobial—an agent that kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms. Specifically, Silver Dihydrogen Citrate (SDC) has the capability to usher in a new era of effectiveness in killing germs on hard surfaces and opening a range of opportunities for which silver and SDC-based products can be used. For the food industry, the technology is used to slow the proliferation of foodborne pathogens from raw or contaminated foods and to control the introduction of harmful bacteria to food from unclean surfaces.

Preventing Foodborne Illnesses

SDC can offer a solution for cleaning and disinfecting food manufacturing and processing plants as well as food service operations and commercial cooking spaces.

PURE Bioscience, creator of the patented SDC antimicrobial, has submitted SDC for clearance by the FDA as a food processing aid for poultry and produce, and will soon be submitting for use on meats. As a processing aid, SDC is removed from the treated food during processing but can drastically reduce the pathogenic organisms left on food during processing activities. In testing completed on SDC as an intervention in the processing of poultry, application of SDC during on-line reprocessing generated a greater than 6 log reduction in Salmonella (essentially eliminating it below detection levels) post chill.

The EPA registered SDC-based product offers disinfection efficacy without the requirement of rinsing the treated surfaces before food is allowed to contact the surface. It also offers residual kill on surfaces treated for up to 24 hours, and due to the nature of ionic silver and SDC’s multiple modes of action, SDC does not promote microbial resistance.

How it Works

SDC utilizes a multiple prong attack against microorganisms. The bacterial outer membrane is called the cell wall and is made of peptidoglycan that provides protection and rigidity to the organism. The exact membrane constitution depends on the type of bacteria. SDC targets an organism’s cell wall. Silver ions are highly attracted to sulfur-containing thiol groups found in metabolic and structural proteins bound to the membrane surface. SDC targets these critical proteins and destroys their structure. This disruption of the organism’s membrane function and integrity lyses the membrane, causing the organism to die.

Unlike traditional antimicrobials, bacteria are actually attracted to SDC because they recognize citric acid as a food source. This “Trojan Horse” attack allows SDC to easily enter the microorganism through membrane transport proteins. Once inside the organism, SDC binds to DNA and intracellular proteins causing irreversible damage to the DNA and protein structure, which halts the microbe’s ability to replicate and leads to its death. Viruses are much smaller than bacterial and fungal cells and do not have metabolic activity. Viruses present fewer targets sites on which a biocide can act. Silver targets the viral envelope or capsid and the viral nucleic acid. Silver not only destroys the viral envelope or capsid, preventing the virus from attaching to a host cell, it also destroys the infectious component of the virus, the nucleic acid.

SDC’s stabilized silver ion complex has a shelf life of several years. The unique bond of the silver ion in SDC allows the silver ion to remain stable in solution while at the same time making it more bio-available for antimicrobial action.

This technology can help bring a wave of relief to the food manufacturing and food service industries by helping to minimize foodborne illnesses and curtail potential financial losses while maximizing food safety and food quality.

Lambert is CEO of Pure Bioscience and can be reached at HLambert@purebio.com.

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