Say Goodbye to Biofilm with Enzymes

The Belgium-based detergent company Realco has developed a unique enzyme-based solution for removing biofilm contaminations within the food & beverage industry.

Biofilm is a collection of bacteria encased in an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), more commonly known as slime. This slime forms on surfaces and builds up over time, allowing pathogens to flourish and leading to contamination.

Many industrial companies struggle with bio-film. Buildup and subsequent contamination can occur on any type of surface, often including food production machinery, membrane filters and pipes, to give just a few examples. The slime is a problematic and unpredictable source of contamination that is very hard, if not impossible, to remove with traditional cleaning chemicals.

Fortunately, a more efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly option is available—enzymes.

Cleaning in place (CIP) is a term denoting cleaning equipment such as pipes, tubes and other processing equipment on the spot between production runs. CIP does not involve mechanical cleaning action, only reliance on the power of the cleaner. In this particular application, enzymatic cleaning is the only way to get complete biofilm removal.

Works on Tough Cases

Biofilms have very strong chemical resistance, making them a very tough cleaning challenge. This multi-enzyme (from Realco’s enterprise) solution has been developed and tested to be effective against more than 60 different biofilms found in food processing plants, including the seven most difficult-to-remove bio-films, which do not respond to traditional cleaning.

Finding the right combination of multi-enzyme cocktail and detergent ingredients and then understanding how to integrate them into an efficient cleaning procedure took more than 3 years of work and is covered by a pending patent.

Fuente: http://www.biotimes.com/en/Articles/2010/december/Pages/Saygoodbyetobiofilmwithenzymes.aspx

Aporte: Alejandra Avendaño