Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Specific organic component
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-05
2002-11-12
Boyer, Charles (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Specific organic component
C510S218000, C510S234000, C510S235000, C510S237000, C510S238000, C510S247000, C510S276000, C510S302000, C510S309000, C510S310000, C510S362000, C510S367000, C510S372000, C510S375000, C510S378000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06479454
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The disclosure relates generally to antimicrobial or biocidal compositions and more particularly to peroxygen antimicrobial compositions for reducing microbe populations on food surfaces, hard surfaces found in food processing, food services and health care industries, dish sanitizing and water treatment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Numerous classes of chemical compounds exhibit varying degrees of antimicrobial or biocidal activity. Antimicrobial compositions are needed, among other things, to clean and disinfect food surfaces such as fruits and vegetables and to clean and disinfect hard-surfaces in the health care industry, food and beverage industries and household arena.
Prior art hard surface cleaner compositions often relate to acid cleaners containing formulated detergent compositions. Casey, U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,030, discloses a composition formulated to remove soap scum and hardness components using an aqueous base containing a surfactant system, and formulations of an amine oxide and cosolvent. Reihm et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,728, discloses a fiberglass cleaner composition containing an organophosphonic acid/acrylic acid sequestrant in combination with a betaine surfactant. Sanitizing compositions have also been formulated in the past to combat microbial growth on hard surfaces. For example, Wang, U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,040, teaches a short chain fatty acid sanitizing composition comprising an aliphatic short chain fatty acid, a hydrotrope solubilizer capable of solubilizing the fatty acid in both the concentrate and use solution.
Compositions having cleaning and sanitizing effectiveness have been disclosed which include one or more surfactants and one or more antimicrobial agents, where the surfactant is effective at removal of soils, especially soils that contain fats, and the antimicrobial agents such as ethylene oxide, strong acids and compositions of aldehydes are known to have varying degrees of biocidal activity. Limitations exist for many of these cleaning compositions in that the antimicrobial agents exhibit toxic, corrosive and irritant properties that limit the compositions usefulness, especially in relation to the food and beverage industries.
Other less corrosive and less toxic antimicrobial agents are known for use in these compositions, for example, peroxy-containing compositions are disclosed in Bowing et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,059, where the composition contains peracetic acid, acetic acid or mixtures of peracetic and acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, anionic surface active compounds such as sulfonates and sulfates, and water. Additionally, Knowlton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,828, discloses a liquid peracid bleach comprising a surfactant, a defined peroxyacid and a complex amine oxide.
Peracetic acid alone is known to be a good microbiocidal agent at fairly high concentrations. Similarly, peroxyfatty acids have been shown to be biocidal at fairly high concentrations, such as in the composition disclosed in European Patent Application No. 233, 731. However, antimicrobial compositions having low use concentrations of the antimicrobial agent which effectively kill microbes and provide a satisfactory ability to remove soil are particularly desirable. Low concentrations of the antimicrobial agent minimize use cost, surface corrosion, odor, carryover of biocide into foods and potential toxic effects to the user. Therefore, a continuing need exists to provide an antimicrobial composition for use in cleaning and disinfecting food surfaces, and in cleaning and disinfecting hard surfaces in the food and beverage and health care industries. Against this backdrop the present invention has been developed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Aspects of the present invention are directed at compositions that include effective microbiocidal amounts of an amine oxide and peroxygen compound. The compositions can be used to reduce microbe populations on hard surfaces, food, dishware and in water.
One aspect of the present invention is a composition including a peroxygen compound combined with an amine oxide. The composition can be in the form of a concentrate or can be diluted to an end use composition. Typically, the concentrate is 0.1 to 40 wt. % peroxygen compound and 0.1 to 40 wt. % amine oxide. Other components may be added such as carboxylic acids, surfactant hydrotrope coupling agents or solubilizers, esters, chelating agents, etc.
Another aspect of the present invention is a composition including a peroxygen compound mixed with peracetic acid and an amine oxide. As above, the composition can be in the form of a concentrate or can be diluted to an end use composition. Typically, the concentrate is 0.1 to 40 wt. % of a mixture of the peroxygen compound and peracetic acid and 0.1 to 40-wt. % amine oxide. Other components may be added such as carboxylic acids, surfactant hydrotrope coupling agents or solubilizers, esters, chelating agents, etc.
The concentrate of the composition may be diluted in a major proportion of an aqueous fluid to form an antimicrobial use solution. The use solution may have a peroxygen compound of 10 to 10,000 ppm in combination with an amine oxide of 10 to 10,000 ppm. As with the concentrate the peroxygen compound may be in a mixture with peracetic acid to obtain the use solution concentrations. Other components may be added such as carboxylic acids, surfactant hydrotrope coupling agents or solubilizers, esters, chelating agents, etc.
Another aspect of the present invention is a process of reducing microbial populations on contaminated surfaces including the steps of selecting an antimicrobial composition typically having 0.1 to 40 wt. % of a peroxygen compound and 0.1 to 40 wt. % of an amine oxide, and contacting the contaminated surface with the composition. The selected composition may include a mixture of 0.1 to 40 wt. % peroxygen compound and peracetic acid and 0.1 to 40 wt. % of an amine oxide. Other components may be added such as carboxylic acids, surfactant hydrotrope coupling agents or solubilizers, esters, chelating agents, etc.
One aspect of the present invention is the novel, antimicrobial concentrate composition which is capable of being diluted with a major proportion of water or other aqueous based liquid to form a use solution. Another aspect of the present invention is an aqueous antimicrobial use solution which is particularly suited for “in-place” cleaning applications. Another aspect of the present invention is a process of employing the composition of the present invention in the reduction of microbial populations on various contaminated surfaces. Another aspect of the present invention is a method of employing the composition of the present invention in the reduction of microbial populations on various process facilities or equipment as well as other surfaces.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention resides in antimicrobial compositions including an effective microbiocidal amount of an amine oxide and peroxygen compound. The combination of the amine oxide and the peroxygen compound advantageously provides a synergistic effect, producing a much more potent biocide than can be obtained by using these compositions separately. The antimicrobial composition can be used effectively to reduce the microbial population of hard surfaces such as those in facilities and equipment used in the food and beverage industries. Additionally, the present composition can be used to effectively reduce the microbial population of food, of dishware, and to treat water.
Definitions
The term “sanitizing” is used in the present disclosure to mean an agent that reduces the number of microbes. The term disinfect means a 99.9% reduction in microbes. Sterilize means the elimination of substantially all microbes from the target.
The term Minimal Bactericidal Concentration is used in the present invention to mean a 5 log reduction in microbe count.
The term microbe is used in the present invention to mean a microorganism such as a bacterium, spore, fungi, virus, mycobacteria, etc.
The term contaminated surface is used
Hei Robert D. P.
Smith Kim R.
Boyer Charles
Ecolab Inc.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
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