JPS6347465B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

The present invention relates to a method for sterilizing filamentous fungi attached to packaging materials and containers (hereinafter simply referred to as containers, etc.) for storing foods, electrical parts, precision instruments, optical products, clothing, and the like. More specifically, an adsorbent adsorbed with ethyl alcohol (hereinafter simply referred to as alcohol) is placed in a container such as a plastic bag so that the alcohol is in liquid form and does not come into direct contact with the container, and the opening of the container is closed. By sterilizing filamentous bacteria adhering to containers etc. with the alcohol vapor generated from the adsorbent, it is possible to prevent the harmful effects caused by direct contact of liquid alcohol with containers, etc., and to effectively eliminate filamentous bacteria adhering to the container. It concerns a method of sterilizing. Conventionally, methods for sterilizing filamentous fungi that adhere to containers include heat sterilization methods such as dry heat sterilization in dry air, moist heat sterilization in humid air, or sterilization methods such as hydrogen peroxide solution, ethylene oxide gas, etc. Sterilization methods using chemicals were known. However, the heat sterilization method has many inconveniences, such as requiring heating equipment and consuming a large amount of thermal energy, and furthermore, heating conditions must be set depending on the heat resistance of the container itself. In addition, sterilization methods using hydrogen peroxide and ethylene oxide gas have the problem of chemical residue, which is not desirable from the perspective of human safety.
Moreover, it was not preferable in that it required equipment. On the other hand, the bactericidal effect of ethyl alcohol has long been well known, and alcohol can be used with kitchen knives,
A known method is to spray onto cutting boards, tweezers, and other utensils to sterilize attached microorganisms. However, when liquid alcohol comes into direct contact with the substance to be sterilized, various adverse effects occur. For example, when the substance to be sterilized is a container, etc., printing ink, adhesive, etc., which have relatively low alcohol resistance, is often used, and if liquid alcohol comes into contact with these surfaces, the printing ink may flow out and the printed patterns and letters may disappear or become smudged. Furthermore, if it comes into contact with adhesives, hot melt resins, lacquers, etc., these surfaces may become sticky, causing so-called blocking, which may make them unusable or cause them to lose their sealing and other functions. The present invention aims to solve the drawbacks of such conventional methods. As shown in FIG. 1, a container or the like 1 is placed together with an alcohol generator 2 in a container 3 such as a plastic bag so that the alcohol is in liquid form and does not come into contact with the container, and the opening of the container is closed. Close with part 4,
The alcohol vapor that evaporates from the alcohol generator sterilizes filamentous bacteria attached to the container. The present invention will be explained in further detail. In the present invention, containers to be sterilized mainly include packaging materials and containers for packaging and storing foods, electrical parts, precision mechanical parts, optical products, clothing, etc. Specifically, polyethylene ,
polypropylene, polystyrene, vinyl chloride,
Plastics made of one or more types of laminated materials selected from plastic materials such as polyethylene terephthalate and nylon, and materials such as aluminum foil and paper, or molded containers, lids, bags, etc. containing plastics. Next, the alcohol generator of the present invention is an object that gradually releases alcohol in the air, such as an adsorbent or alcohol gel in which alcohol is adsorbed to an adsorbent, or a substance that generates alcohol by reacting with water. It is. First, the adsorbing substance that adsorbs alcohol is preferably a substance that adsorbs alcohol and gradually releases alcohol into the air, and is harmless from a hygienic point of view. Specifically, starch,
Of course, powders such as sugar, dextrin, cellulose powder, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, gelatin, silicon dioxide, zeolite, aluminum silicate, talc, etc. are used, as well as nonwoven fabrics, paper, cotton fibers, etc., but in practice, silicon dioxide, zeolite,
Zeolite and cotton fibers are useful. Next, alcohol gel is a structure of polymeric substances that generally contains alcohol as a component.
Specifically, saponified higher fatty acid esters, agar,
In addition to gelatin, carrageenan, etc., any polymeric substance that absorbs alcohol to form a gel and gradually releases alcohol in the air may be used. Further, as the substance that reacts with water to generate alcohol, a substance in which alcohol is enclosed in dextrin or the like is used. In this case, in order for the alcohol vapor to evaporate and to exert its effect, it is necessary to add water by some method, for example, 40 parts by weight of ferrous sulfate heptahydrate and 4 parts by weight of calcium hydroxide.
~15 parts by weight, ethyl alcohol inclusive dextrin
A substance having a composition mixed with 10 to 100 parts by weight and, if necessary, 4 to 120 parts by weight of a mixing aid is used,
In the next reaction, water is produced by reacting with oxygen in the container, and alcohol is evaporated. 2FeSO ₄・7H ₂ O+2Ca(OH) ₂ +H ₂ O+1/2O ₂ →2Fe(OH) ₃ +2CaSO ₄・2H ₂ O+10H ₂ O In addition, the container referred to in the present invention refers to plastic,
Bags, boxes, cans, etc. made of glass, metal, etc. may be used as long as the inside of the storage body is shielded from the outside air, but bags made of polyethylene, polypropylene, etc. are convenient. Ideally, the opening of the container should be completely sealed by heat sealing, etc., but if necessary, it is possible to seal it completely with a rubber band or fold it well, even if some air leaks. . A method of arranging the alcohol generator together with the container etc. in these storage bodies so that the ethyl alcohol does not come into direct contact with the container etc. in liquid form is to use a packaging material that allows alcohol gas to pass through the alcohol generator or a packaging material that has air permeability. (see claim 4), or by inserting a plastic film or the like between the alcohol generator and the container. In this way, the ethyl alcohol vapor evaporated from the adsorbent into the storage body sterilizes filamentous bacteria and the like that have adhered to the container and the like. The amount of alcohol generator to be used depends on the alcohol content of the generator, the adsorption properties of the adsorbent, the number of bacteria such as filamentous bacteria attached to the container, the material of the storage body, the method of closing the opening,
Alternatively, it may be set appropriately depending on the sterilization time, etc. A feature of the present invention is that there is no need to use special or expensive equipment or equipment, and ethyl chloride is removed from the bag during the usual process of storing containers, etc. in plastic bags and storing them in cardboard boxes, etc. Just add the alcohol generator and close the bag.
It is possible to effectively sterilize filamentous bacteria attached to containers. Moreover, since ethyl alcohol is in liquid form and does not come into direct contact with containers, etc., it has excellent effects.
Less negative effects such as deterioration, disappearance, staining, etc. of printing hotmelt, adhesives, etc. Even if a large amount of alcohol generator is used, the alcohol does not come into direct contact with the container, etc., so a large amount of adsorbent can be used compared to methods in which ethyl alcohol is directly added to the container by spraying, dropping, etc. Therefore, the time required for sterilization can be shortened. By slowing down the alcohol evaporation rate through the adsorption properties of the adsorbent and by selecting a breathable packaging material for filling the adsorbent, even if the container is opened once, by resealing it, it is possible to Ability to re-sterilize secondary contamination caused by fallen bacteria, etc. It has many features such as, and is of high practical value. Example: Aspergillus niser as a filamentous fungus in a printed polystyrene injection molded container.
The 10 spores planted with approximately 2 × 10 ⁵ spores and the following test plots were each combined and stored in a polyethylene bag, and the opening was sealed with heat (the air volume at this time was approximately 1 Ta). This at 25℃
It was left at a temperature of 5 days. ◎Test area ((1) to (3) are according to the present invention) (1) Adsorbent area...1 ml of reagent primary alcohol was added to about 3
Uses an adsorbent supported on zeolite powder (g) and filled in a polypropylene non-woven bag with good air permeability. (2) Adsorbent area: An adsorbent is used in which 3 ml of reagent primary alcohol is mixed with 10 ml of warm 3% agar aqueous solution, cooled, and packed in a polypropylene non-woven bag with good air permeability. (3) Adsorbent section…3ml of reagent primary alcohol to 30mm
An adsorbent is used that is adsorbed onto a 60mm x 60mm cotton fiber board and filled into a breathable polypropylene non-woven bag. (4) Control group: Spray 1 ml of reagent primary alcohol into a polyethylene bag. (5) Control group: Spray 3 ml of reagent primary alcohol into a polyethylene bag. (6) Untreated area: No alcohol added. After 5 days had passed, the containers were removed from each test group and visually inspected.
Regarding 3), a test for the number of viable bacteria was conducted and the results shown in the table were obtained. (The number of viable bacteria was tested by culturing on potato dextrose agar medium at 25℃ for 7 days)

[Table] As shown in the table, alcohol had an excellent sterilizing effect on filamentous fungi (Aspergillus iger) attached to the container, and in the test group of the present invention, there was no effect on printing, which was good.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an example of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the packaging form used in the sterilization method of the present invention, and FIG. This is the change in concentration over time. 1... Container, 2... Alcohol generator, 3...
Storage body, 4...Closing part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An ethyl alcohol generator is placed in a storage body such as a bag containing a container to be sterilized, in such a manner that the ethyl alcohol is in liquid form and does not come into direct contact with the container, and when the container is opened A method for sterilizing filamentous bacteria attached to a container by opening the container. 2. The method for sterilizing container-adhering filamentous fungi according to claim 1, wherein the ethyl alcohol generator is an adsorbent formed by adsorbing ethyl alcohol onto an adsorbent. 3. The method for sterilizing container-adhering filamentous fungi according to claim 2, wherein the adsorbent is a substance selected from silicon dioxide, zeolite, cotton fiber, and pulp. 4. A method for sterilizing container-adhering filamentous fungi according to claim 1, wherein a breathable packaging material filled with an ethyl alcohol generator and packaged is placed in a container together with the container.