Ecolab Synergex™ Sanitizer & Disinfectant First to Receive U.S. EPA Biofilm Claim

August 18, 2020

Helping food and beverage manufacturers increase food safety by killing biofilms with a no-rinse option disinfectant and sanitizer

ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ecolab‘s Synergex™ Sanitizer & Disinfectant is the first product to receive U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approval for efficacy against biofilms, a complex community of bacteria on food contact surfaces.

According to the EPA, biofilms form when bacteria adhere to environmental surfaces, especially those located in the presence of high moisture. Biofilms typically persist in a matrix containing slimy, glue-like substances which facilitate their attachment to many hard surfaces.¹

Although biofilms on food-contact surfaces were an unsolved issue for the food and beverage industry, there was no EPA-approved method to test sanitizer efficacy on biofilms. Ecolab, the global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services, partnered with the EPA to develop the first-ever food-contact biofilm test method.

Ecolab’s Synergex Sanitizer & Disinfectant is an EPA-registered (No. 1677-250) mixed peracetic acid (PAA) based sanitizer and disinfectant that helps food and beverage manufacturers enhance food safety, quality assurance, worker safety and air quality. Synergex Sanitizer & Disinfectant has been developed to kill 99.9999% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Listeria monocytogenes pathogens in biofilms on hard, non-porous food contact surfaces, at no-rinse concentration level options.

“Biofilms are a leading cause of quality issues for food and beverage manufacturers, and until now, they have been difficult to destroy on food-contact surfaces,” said Ann Gent, senior vice president and general manager of Ecolab Food and Beverage in North America. “Biofilms manifest in ways that mask the root cause of sanitation problems. A customer may see increased food spoilage or decreased shelf-life, for undetectable reasons. Synergex will help address the issues that result from biofilms on food-contact surfaces.”

“If biofilms are not killed during the cleaning and sanitizing process, bacteria and organisms are given a ‘head start’ to grow, allowing micro levels to exceed the quality threshold sooner in the food production process,” said Jesse Hines, technical accounts program leader for Ecolab Food and Beverage. “Biofilms are one of several microorganism challenges that can be handled using Synergex Sanitizer & Disinfectant. The patented formulation of Synergex helps reduce day-to-day variability and promotes quality assurance.”

For more information on Synergex Sanitizer & Disinfectant and biofilms, visit www.ecolab.com/biofilms.

About Ecolab

A trusted partner at nearly three million commercial customer locations, Ecolab (NYSE: ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services. With annual sales of $13 billion and more than 45,000 associates, Ecolab delivers comprehensive solutions, data-driven insights and personalized service to advance food safety, maintain clean and safe environments, optimize water and energy use, and improve operational efficiencies and sustainability for customers in the food, healthcare, hospitality and industrial markets in more than 170 countries around the world. www.ecolab.com

EPA Reg. No. 1677-250

Citations:

¹ https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-analytical-methods/efficacy-test-methods-test-criteria-and-labeling-guidance-antimicrobial#public-health

(ECL-P)