Introduction

Innovative sanitiser based on natural antimicrobials and other ingredients, applicable for sanitising surfaces within the food industry and characterised by high efficacy against biofilms of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli.

Technical features

The innovative developed sanitiser exhibits high antimicrobial activity against biofilms of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli, aspects of great interest to the food industry given the problems associated with the eradication of microbial biofilms. Furthermore, it is proved that the sanitiser is effective on different surfaces used in food industry to process food such as steel, ceramics and Teflon. Finally, the development of a sanitiser, whose active ingredients are antimicrobial molecules of plant origin, represents a more sustainable and environmentally friendly innovation than the commonly used solutions which are based on chemical principles. The invention, realised within the framework of the collaboration between Unibo and the company AEB S.p.A., was developed thanks to the inventors’ expertise in the mechanisms of action of natural antimicrobials towards pathogenic and degrading microorganisms present in the food industry. The inventors’ background is documented by different scientific publications on the subject.

Possible Applications

• Agri-food sector,
• Fruit, vegetable processing sector,
• Meat processing sector.

Advantages

• Plant-based product with EFSA-approved antimicrobials for application in food, with high environmental sustainability;
• Massive decrease of the bacterial load of biofilms of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli;
• Reduction of risks related to cross-contamination in the food industry;
• Reduction of water consumption throughout the washing and sanitising cycle;
• High compatibility with use in food sectors, particularly the fruit and vegetable processing and meat processing sectors;