Food Safety Magazine, February/March 2012

FOOD SAFETY INSIDERPublic Enemy #1: Biofilmwww.spartanchemical.comSanitation efforts will/can be very challenging as the “quiet assassin”biofilm forms in the environment of the food processing facility. Althoughat times the sanitation team feels like they have a “thanklessjob,” they are a key component of biofilm prevention.Biofilm is composed of a complex aggregation of microorganisms thatgrows on a solid substrate.Biofilms affectmany parts of everydaylife. People experiencebiofilm on a regularbasis: plaque that formson your teeth, causingtooth decay, the “gunk”that clogs drains or if you walk in a stream or river, you may slip onbiofilm-coated rocks.Sanitation ControlsAs for sanitation, biofilm can be a challenge to hinder the productionof the quality/wholesome products you plan to deliver to the consumer.Biofilms form when a bacterium adheres to surfaces in an aqueousenvironment. They begin to excrete a slimy, glue-like substance (polysaccharides)that anchor them onto surfaces. Biofilms may be present onfloors, walls, pipes and drains and surfaces on equipment, including materialssuch as stainless steel, aluminum, nylon, Teflon, etc. Food contactsurfaces such as conveyor belts, gaskets, dead spaces, as well as areasthat are hard to clean may harbor biofilms. Biofilm-forming bacteria includeListeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli andPseudomonas, which may occur as mixed cultures, but often, one specieswill dominate.Prevention of biofilms may be accomplished by avoiding conditions thatlead to cell attachment and selecting conditions that make the environmentunfavorable for microbial growth. However, as we typically know insanitation, this is often not possible. Proper cleaning and sanitation workbest for biofilm prevention. These processes lead up to making sure yoursanitarians are properly trained to “fight back” the bacterial culprits.Let’s use Listeria as our example. Does your sanitation crew know thatthe size of Listeria, measured in microns, is so small compared to moldor mildew that it is like finding “a needle in a haystack?” Do they knowthat bugs multiply every 20 minutes—one bug at noon will multiply toover 2 million by 7 pm? Do they know that bacteria like to “hitchhike”around the building? Or have they heard the story of FAT TOM—Food, Acid(bugs grow at a pH range of 4.1–9.6), Time, Temperature, Oxygen, Moisture—theseare what bacteria need for growth. Thus, the better they thinklike a “bug,” the more aware and prepared they will be to efficiently dotheir job. In addition, do they know that Listeria has the capability to“layer up” (view this as a “building block” process, one on top of theother), which implies that sanitation crews must be very disciplined withtheir scrubbing processes.Controlling biofilm formation will take a dedicated team effort toavoid cell attachment and the “slimy, gooey like substance” that adds tothe challenges with sanitation. The traditionalway to assist with biofilm control isthe following:• Use a proper cleaner, such as a highalkaline and/or high alkaline, chlorinatedcleaner• Allow the product to have sufficientcontact time on the surface (5–10minutes)• Agitate using mechanical/physical action• Rinse using the proper rinse watertemperature• Select the proper sanitizerQuaternary ammonium (quat) sanitizersare most popular, but depending onthe product you produce and other concernsyou may have, peracetic acidand/or chlorine dioxide can be acceptablealternatives. Today’s technology continuesto change in order to adequatelyaddress biofilm removal. There are companiesthat supply alternative options: atwo-part system that has a quat propertyas one part and hydrogen peroxide asthe other has been proven to be successful.Chlorine dioxide is another viable alternativeoption. Some of these productsare specifically targeted to drains, as theyare often the most difficult to clean.ConclusionsIn closing, the solution to biofilm controlwill be “your choice.” As you haveread, there are very good options available,but it all comes back to the basics:understand biofilm and the areas inwhich it is prone to grow. Teach and trainyour employees so that they are moreaware of what they are looking for andwhy their responsibilities are so importantto the process. Importantly, selectthe right cleaner/sanitizer program thatfits your needs and expectations. In additionto using a traditional/fundamental“cleaner,” there is no substitute for thescrubbing action needed to disrupt thebiofilm. However, today’s new technologycertainly challenges that thought processand can provide alternativeproducts/processes.As we have all come to learn, thereare no shortcuts to administering an effectivesanitation program. It is all aboutmaking “the right choice” in taking ownershipof your program. We are confidentthat with your knowledge and the resourcesavailable to you, the “rightchoice” becomes easier.30 F O O D S A F E T Y M A G A Z I N E