Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Preparations characterized by special physical form – Biocides; animal or insect repellents or attractants
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-26
2003-03-18
Russel, Jeffrey E. (Department: 1653)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Preparations characterized by special physical form
Biocides; animal or insect repellents or attractants
C134S025200, C134S025300, C210S753000, C210S754000, C210S755000, C210S756000, C422S032000, C422S037000, C424S043000, C424S616000, C424S632000, C424S661000, C424S663000, C424S665000, C424S667000, C424S669000, C424S670000, C424S671000, C424S723000, C426S066000, C426S318000, C426S326000, C426S332000, C426S335000, C426S532000, C514S002600, C514S561000, C514S642000, C510S111000, C510S218000, C510S234000, C510S367000, C510S370000, C510S371000, C510S372000, C510S373000, C510S376000, C510S379000, C510S380000, C510S
Reexamination Certificate
active
06534075
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to antimicrobial and antiviral compositions in powder or solution form containing oxidizing materials. The materials are made by reacting cooperating ingredients at controlled proportions to form an oxidant suitable for use in food applications. The oxidizing species of the invention is an in situ generated oxidant stable for limited periods, typically less than a few days, and is created from powdered materials added to an aqueous rinse or wash solution.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Peroxygen sanitizers and halogen sanitizers are known. Peroxygen sanitizers include compounds such as hydrogen peroxide, percarboxylic acids, percarbonates, perborates, etc. These materials are relatively well characterized and understood and are commonly used in a variety of end uses. Halogen sanitizers include compounds such as hypochlorite (HOCl), chlorine dioxide (ClO
2
), perchlorate (HClO
4
), perbromate (HBrO
4
), and others. These materials also have relatively well characterized compositions and properties. Halide and quaternary ammonium base sanitizers are also known. These materials are generally not considered oxidizing materials but provide limited sanitizing properties to materials. One type of halogen based sanitizers are sanitizers that can contain species such as I
3
−1
, IBrCl
−1
, and other similar species. Representative examples of such materials are described in Rembaum et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,336; Rembaum et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,476; Hollis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,590; Hollis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,078 and Dammann, European Patent Application No. 156646. These references teach isolated quaternary ammonium poly halides based on synthetic polymeric ionene (known in the industry as polymeric quats), epi-amine, and cationic acrylamide polymer resins (containing 2 or more cationic groups) precipitated with polyhalogens. Similarly, Corby, U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,513; Corby, U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,164; and Corby, U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,047 describe mixed polyhalide salts limited to 4 halogens with a maximum of one iodine or bromine atom per complex. Also, Kramer et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,941,989 and 5,620,527 teach the use of antimicrobial compositions made of alkaline per-salts of quaternary ammonium compounds and hydroperoxide anions at pH's of greater than 9.5. No polyhalide counterions are utilized.
None of the aforementioned references teach the use of in-situ, labile antimicrobial compositions generated via halide salts and oxidants; especially peroxygen oxidants. All of these examples deal with stable, isolated antimicrobials that would remain in the application environment (e.g., food surface) indefinitely. Lastly, Wright et al., PCT Application No. WO 94/00548 teaches non-halogen containing quaternary ammonium compounds which are used with peracids, preferably peracetic acid. This disclosure indicates that the peracid material is activated by the presence of the quat.
Ideally, an antimicrobial agent or compound used in treating food, food preparation surfaces and utensils should have several important properties in addition to its antimicrobial efficacy. It is important that the compound or agent leave no residual antimicrobial activity. Residual activity implies the presence of a film of antimicrobial material which will continue to have antimicrobial effect and which may require further rinsing of the food product, food preparation surface, or utensils. The antimicrobial agent preferably should also be odor free to prevent transfer of undesirable odors onto the food. The antimicrobial agent should also be composed of food additive materials, or indirect or secondary direct food additive materials, which will not affect the food if contamination occurs, nor affect humans should incidental ingestion result. Further, the antimicrobial agent should preferably be composed of naturally occurring or innocuous ingredients which are chemically compatible with the environment and cause no concerns for toxic residues within the water.
The use of antimicrobial agents in the control of microorganisms is well known for various applications. For example, Grosse Bowing et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,051,058 and 4,051,059 used peracetic acid as a food grade sanitizer in a variety of applications. Further, Greenspan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,512,640, teaches the use of a peracetic acid composition including 500 ppm or more of peracetic acid for the treatment of various fruit and vegetable compositions in a spray applicator. In the past transport and process water apparatuses have generally been treated with sodium hypochlorite and chlorine dioxide. While these materials are effective in preventing the unwanted growth of microorganisms, their use rate is very high, since they tend to be rapidly consumed by the high organic load. Further, these materials decompose, producing byproducts such as chlorites and chlorates. Hypochlorite decomposes to produce trichloromethanes which may be toxic at very low concentrations. Lastly, chlorine dioxide itself is a toxic gas.
Iodophor antimicrobial agents have also been used for various antimicrobial applications. However, iodophor compounds tend to decompose or may be lost by evaporation when used in an aqueous medium. Consequently, long-term activity requires a very high iodophor concentration.
As a result, a need exists in the food processing industry to provide antimicrobial efficacy without the toxicity problems of the past.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
We have discovered a surprising effect resulting from the combination of a source of quaternary or protonizable nitrogen, an oxidant, and a halide source. More specifically, we have found that an oxidizing species is created from this combination. Since reaction is almost immediate, it is possible for aqueous or non-aqueous sanitizing processes to prepare a use solution that is available for use immediately after mixing; however, the activity is lost after a few days with reversion to harmless halide salts. It is also possible to produce solid sanitizing substrates that have residual antimicrobial and antiviral effectiveness; such as air filters or on air filters, as food packaging or plastic or cutting board additives. This oxidizing species is effective in reducing microbial and viral populations on foods, food surfaces, food wash and process waters, and food preparation surfaces and equipment as a wash liquid. This oxidizing species is also effective, by itself or mixed with other adjuvants, in reducing microbial and viral populations in other food preparation adjuncts such as in or on: air and liquid filtration equipment or filtering agents, belt sprays for food transport lines, boot and hand-wash dip-pans, food storage facilities and anti-spoilage air circulation systems, aseptic packaging sanitizing, food refrigeration and cooler cleaners and sanitizers, warewashing sanitizing, blancher cleaning and sanitizing, food packaging materials, cutting board additives, third-sink sanitizing, beverage chillers and warmers, meat chilling or scalding waters, sanitizing gels, food processing antimicrobial garment sprays, and non-to-low-aqueous food preparation lubricants, oils, and rinse additives. The oxidizing species is also effective for use in animal quarters, in animal feeds, on animal carcasses; reducing human pathogenic microbes, opportunistic or pathogenic microbes on eggs, and also in treating skin diseases on animals and mammals, or those which spread via transfer to air or surface substrates, such as disease from fungi, bacteria and viruses.
Accordingly, the invention resides in an antimicrobial and antiviral composition including in powder, liquid, gel, aerosol, or solid form: a) a source, preferably a natural one, of a quaternary or protonizable nitrogen compound; (b) an oxidant, preferably a peroxygen compound; (c) a halide source; and optionally (d) a food grade source of acidity; wherein for each part by weight of the halide source there is about 0.1 to 30 parts by weight of the nitrogen compound, about 0.1 to 40 parts by weight of t
Cords Bruce R.
Hei Robert D. P.
Kennedy Shaun P.
Laugen Polly D.
Smith Kim R.
Ecolab Inc.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Russel Jeffrey E.
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