Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-18
2003-09-09
Ogden, Necholus (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S218000, C510S370000, C510S371000, C510S382000, C510S383000, C510S405000, C510S413000, C510S421000, C510S422000, C510S424000, C510S434000, C510S437000, C510S477000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06617290
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
This invention relates to sanitizing chemical composition that can be used on fresh fruits and vegetables as well as on hard surfaces that come in contact with food thereby reducing the risk of illness caused by harmful chemical residues and/or infectious contaminating microorganisms. The invention further helps to increase the shelf life or keeping qualities of food by reducing the population of spoilage microorganisms carried on the surface of the food.
Most common antimicrobial products accomplish reduction of microbial populations on food and hard food contacting surfaces by oxidation of the target microorganism. To accomplish this common antimicrobial products of this type contain or utilize compounds having highly oxidizing compounds such as chlorine, chlorine dioxide, peracetic acid, ozone, hydrogen peroxide used to reduce microbial population on food. These oxidizing chemicals inactivate microorganisms by reacting with their organic material. However, these chemicals can also react deleteriously with organic food material and other compounds to produce unknown chemical residues which may be harmful to health. For instance studies have indicated that hypochlorite (chlorine) produces carcinogenic residues on food in certain situations.
An additional drawback of these common antimicrobial oxidative products are compositions which generally lack significant detergent action or cleaning properties. Thus it is often necessary to employ several materials in potentially multi-step cleaning processes to remove all undesirable material and residue from the foodstuff or hard food contacting surface.
Most chemical products suitable for use on foodstuff or hard food contact surfaces do not have significant antimicrobial and microbicidal properties. Sanitizing products which exhibit significant antimicrobial and/or microbicidal properties have historically been considered unsafe or suspect as containing ingredients which are not classified by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) as GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) for food contact or as a food additive.
Various other sanitizing products require incorporation of additional antibacterial compounds in the preparation to inhibit or kill microorganisms. Such commercial sanitizing products are permitted for use on food contact hard surfaces. However, they cannot be used on fruits and vegetables as they have certain components that are expressly prohibited for use on fresh foods by regulatory agencies.
Additionally, it is economically or logistically necessary to store and ship such sanitizing preparations as concentrate liquids or solids which can be dissolved or diluted to a suitable use solution. Various known formulations can exhibit cloudiness, opalescence or precipitate when diluted with tap water. This phenomenon can interfere with the optimal function of the sanitizing solution.
Thus it would be highly desirable to provide a sanitizing composition which was composed entirely of components approved by regulatory agencies such as the US FDA for use on both fresh fruits and vegetables. It is also desirable that the aforementioned solution be capable of achieving cleaning and sanitizing of food contacting hard surfaces thereby providing a composition which can be utilized for various cleaning and sanitizing operations with increased efficiency and economy. It is also desirable that to provide a cleaning and sanitizing composition which can be prepared and stored in a highly concentrated form increasing ease in storage and transport. It is also desirable that the sanitizing material be suitable for use in automatic dispensing operations thereby eliminating risks involved in manual handling. It is also desirable that the composition be one, which results in a clear solution without opalescence, cloudiness or precipitate particularly when a concentrated form of the composition is diluted with water.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
In accordance herewith, there is provided a class of chemical compositions or agents that can be used to prepare antimicrobial detergent compositions for cleaning surfaces of food products such as fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, sprouts, eggs, carcasses and other food surfaces in order to prevent, to reduce or to eliminate the risk of infection and illness arising from microbial contamination and harmful chemical residues. The compositions can also be employed to reduce spoilage microorganisms present on the surface of such food products thereby increasing keeping qualities of food. The compositions can also be used to clean and disinfect inanimate food contact and non-food contact surfaces.
The antimicrobial cleaning composition contains:
A. an acidifying agent which is present either as an individual acid or as a mixture of acids, the acidifying agent or agents being selected from chemical compounds classified as GRAS or suitable for use as food additive by the US FDA;
B. at least one surface active agent selected from surface active chemicals approved by the US FDA and the USDA for use on food products as well as for use on food-contacting hard surfaces; and
C. at least one chelating agent selected from chemicals classified as GRAS or suitable for use as food additive by the US FDA.
The composition of the present invention may also include at least one carrying agent compatible with the aforementioned compounds. The carrying agent typically functions as a suitable diluent and is present in liquid, powder or gel form to dissolve or disperse or suspend the above aforementioned ingredients.
The composition may include other compatible ingredients, which do not reduce or interfere with the antimicrobial and cleaning properties. Certain ingredients such as organic and inorganic salts, urea, which may enhance the cleaning properties, may also be incorporated. The composition may additionally include compounds from among coloring agents, antioxidants, fragrances, vitamins, nutritive agents and thixotropic agents as well as any combination of the above.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The cleaning and sanitizing composition of the present invention may be employed in either a concentrated composition or in a ready-to-use formulation. The cleaning and sanitizing composition contains:
A. an acidifying agent, present either as an individual compound or as a mixture of at least two compounds;
B. at least one surface active agent;
C. at least one sequestering or chelating agent; and
D. a carrier compatible with the acidifying agent, surface active agent and chelating agent, the carrier present in sufficient quantity to contain the acidifying agent, surface active agent and chelating agent.
The acidifying agent, surface active agent, chelating agent, and carrier are each selected from chemical compounds which are classified as GRAS or suitable for use as food additive by the US FDA or, at minimum, approved for use on food-contacting surfaces.
The acidifying agent is at least one compound selected from acetic acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, benzoic acid, citric acid, dehydroacetic acid, erythorbic acid, fumaric acid, glutaric acid, gluconic acid, hyaluronic acid, hydroxyacetic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, sorbic acid, succinic acid, tannic acid, tartaric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfamic acid, carboxylic acid polymers, homo- or hetero- polymerized alpha hydroxycarboxylic acid such as polylactic acid or poly lactic-glycolic acid and mixtures of two or more of said acids.
Preferably, the acidifying agent is at least one compound from the group which includes acetic, adipic, ascorbic, citric, dehydroacetic erythrobic, fumaric, glutaric, gluconic, hyaluronic, glycolic, lactic, malic, succinic, sulfamic, tannic, tartaric as well as mixtures of two or more of these acids.
While the acidifying agent can be a single compound, it is preferable that the acidifying agent be a combination of aforementioned acids present in ratios and concentrations which is sufficient to provide a pH in the resulting use solution below 5. Typically two o
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