Biofilms are a buildup of microorganisms that can form and adhere on wet surfaces in Clean-in-Place (CIP) production lines. Persistent against conventional cleaning and sanitization procedures, biofilms can resist mechanical action and protect the embedded microorganisms against environmental stressors, and allow pathogens to tolerate even concentrated antimicrobial exposure.
Biofilm Risks in Personal Care and Cosmetics Manufacturing:
Product Quality Issues
Biofilms can harbor organisms that cause product spoilage, damaging product quality, reducing shelf-life, putting brand image at risk and may lead to costly recalls.
Consumer Health and Safety Risks
Bacteria harbored in biofilms may contribute to life-threatening infections and diseases in humans.
Equipment Damage and Operational Issues
Biofilms on metal surfaces can lead to microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) and can also damage other surface types and lead to operational issues such as reducing pipe flow and water contamination that ultimately leads to costly downtime.
