JPH0231946B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

The present invention relates to a sterilizing agent for foods or food processing equipment, and a method for sterilizing foods or food processing equipment using the same. In recent years, a wide variety of foods have come to be processed in large quantities in specific production areas, transported to consumption areas in various regions, and consumed. As a result, it takes a long time from the place of production to when the product reaches the consumer, and until the consumer cooks or eats it, and various problems tend to occur during that time. A particularly serious problem is the occurrence of food poisoning and spoilage caused by microorganisms that contaminate food. There are two main causes of microbial contamination that causes food poisoning and food spoilage: contamination originating from raw materials and contamination during processing or distribution. For example, seafood paste products, meat hams, and sausages are said to be highly safe foods because they are heat-treated during the processing process. However, even in these foods, secondary contamination during the steps from heat treatment to packaging poses a problem. Therefore, in order to prevent food poisoning and spoilage, it is important to prevent secondary contamination not only when processing unsafe foods but also when processing these highly safe foods. The market growth rate of delicatessen foods such as vegetable salads, Chinese foods, hamburgers, and meatballs is extremely high, and among these, the growth rate of salads that use a large amount of raw vegetables is particularly remarkable. However, it is also known that the raw materials, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, onions, and celery, are often heavily contaminated with coliform bacteria. Furthermore, contamination of human bodies (for example, food processing factory workers, cooks, etc.) and the surfaces of seafood, especially chicken and chicken eggs, with food-poisoning bacteria, especially Salmonella, has become a problem. As a method to prevent food spoilage and food poisoning caused by microbial contamination of these foods, in addition to the internal addition of substances that are effective for food preservatives, methods for sterilizing the food itself or equipment that comes into direct contact with the food are also being considered. ing. For example, harmful bacteria are removed from vegetables by blanching, but this method has major drawbacks such as immersion in high-temperature liquid, which causes the vegetable tissue to disintegrate due to heat, resulting in a significant loss of flavor. be. Hydrogen peroxide has little effect on food at effective concentrations and has a high bactericidal effect, but it is avoided due to concerns that it may be carcinogenic. On the other hand, sterilization methods such as soaking or spraying in sodium hypochlorite aqueous solution have been attempted, but effective chlorine
Below 200ppm, the sterilization effect is not sufficient;
At higher concentrations, a chlorine odor remains. Corrosion of equipment due to chlorine is also a problem. Furthermore, it has recently been reported that carcinogenic substances are formed by the reaction between chlorine and organic substances. Therefore, some food factories are considering making use of the sterilizing power of ethanol by spraying or soaking food to kill bacteria that cause food poisoning and spoilage, and increase the preservation effect. is being carried out. However, at an effective concentration of 70 to 75%, there are drawbacks such as a strong ethanol odor, significantly impairing the flavor of foods, and denaturing proteins, causing quality deterioration and discoloration. Also, because it is flammable, strict standards are set under the Fire Service Act, and its handling is complicated. Furthermore, highly concentrated aqueous solutions of organic acids such as acetic acid and lactic acid have sterilizing properties, but in addition to producing a sour taste and odor, they also have significant negative effects on quality, such as discoloration of target colored products and hardening of textures, as well as a characteristic irritating odor. It is also unsuitable as a disinfectant for equipment because it has a negative effect on the working environment. As described above, although eradication and sterilization of harmful microorganisms attached to foods and food processing equipment are extremely important for food hygiene and food processing, effective means have not yet been established. The object of the present invention is to develop a disinfectant for foods and food processing equipment that has extremely low toxicity and is highly safe, without degrading the unique and desirable flavor and quality of foods, and without damaging the food manufacturing environment. It is to develop. As a result of various studies, the present inventors have found that the combination of ethanol and at least one alkaline substance has an excellent synergistic effect, and can sterilize at a significantly lower concentration than when each component is used alone. I found out what I can do. The present invention provides a sterilizer for foods or food processing equipment, which contains ethanol and at least one alkaline substance selected from alkali metal hydroxide, alkali metal carbonate, or trialkali metal phosphate as an active ingredient. It is a drug. Preferred alkali metals are sodium and potassium. Further, a small amount of an acidic substance or a neutral or nearly neutral organic or inorganic salt may be added within a range that does not eliminate the alkalinity of the alkaline substance. Furthermore, known antibacterial substances may be added to the extent that they do not lose their effectiveness. The disinfectant of the present invention can be obtained by mixing ethanol and an alkaline substance. The disinfectant of the present invention generally contains 99.9 to 1.6% by weight of ethanol, particularly 95 to 2% by weight, and 0.1 to 50% of one or more alkaline substances as active ingredients.
% by weight, especially 0.2 to 30% by weight. Below, % means weight. The disinfectant of the present invention contains water and a small amount of polyhydric alcohol, such as propylene glycol, in addition to the active ingredient.
It can also contain glycerin and the like. The disinfectant of the present invention is used as it is or diluted with water. When using an aqueous solution of this disinfectant, the concentration of the active ingredient should be adjusted to 0.5-40% ethanol,
The alkaline substance is preferably 0.005 to 10%. At this concentration, most bacteria can be killed within 30 seconds. Also, the pH of the aqueous solution during use is 10.0.
The above is preferable. To disinfect using the disinfectant of the present invention, an aqueous solution of the disinfectant is brought into contact with food or food processing equipment. Foods that can be sterilized by this method include primary processed foods, secondary processed foods, and their raw materials. Specific examples include aquatic meat products such as kamaboko, naru-maki, hanpen, sausage, sausage, ham, and bacon; raw edible vegetables such as cucumber, tomato, kiyabetsu, onion, lettuce, and celery; Noodles such as udon, soba, Chinese noodles, somen, spaghetti, macaroni, vegetable salads, Chinese foods, hamburgers, delicatessen foods such as meatballs, tofu, various fish, meat, chicken, eggs, seafood, and these. These include semi-dried or dry products. This also applies to these foods before or after freezing. Examples of food processing equipment include cutting boards, knives, food containers, dish towels, etc., as well as containers, movable parts, and transportation of various stirring devices, mixing devices, homogenizers, automatic cutters, slicers, etc. used in food processing factories. Examples include containers, packaging containers, etc. Each of the active ingredients of this fungicide exhibited excellent bactericidal effects at a significantly lower concentration than when used alone, and was found to have a synergistic effect. This fungicide has high bactericidal activity at low concentrations, so it is generally
Although the purpose can be achieved with a contact time of 30 seconds to 30 minutes, contact for more than 30 minutes will not reduce the flavor and quality of the food, and will also ensure the safety of the food itself and its operation in factories, etc. Problems such as equipment corrosion do not occur. Additionally, workers and cooks at food processing plants can sterilize harmful bacteria on the human body by immersing their hands in an aqueous solution of this disinfectant or wiping their hands with degreased wire or gauze soaked in the disinfectant. . Thus, by using the disinfectant of the present invention, food poisoning is prevented, the corrosion of processed foods is significantly prolonged and the shelf life is improved. Escherichia coli (Escherichia coli NIHJ
JC-2) was used to search for effective combinations in vitro (experimental example), and formulations prepared based on the results were used to investigate the bactericidal and sterilizing effects on foods (Examples 1 to 2). 6). Experimental Example (a) In order to investigate the bactericidal effect of the combined use of ethanol and an alkaline substance, the following experiment was conducted. Brain heart extract (BHI) liquid medium was inoculated with Escherichia coli (Escherichia coli NIHJJC-2),
Culture was carried out at 37°C for 24 hours. This medium was diluted to 1/10 with sterile physiological saline, and this E. coli suspension was used as a test bacterial suspension. As the alkaline substances, sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, trisodium phosphate, potassium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, and tripotassium phosphate were used. Add 1 ml of the above test bacterial suspension to 9 ml of the test drug prepared by adding sterilized water in advance so that the concentration of ethanol and various alkaline substances is 10/9 of the prescribed concentration, mix immediately, and then heat at 20°C.
was held at After 30 seconds of contact, one loopful of this mixture was inoculated into fresh liquid medium and incubated at 37°C.
Cultured for 48 hours. The presence or absence of bacterial growth in the medium is visually observed, and if no bacterial growth is observed, complete sterilization is possible (-), and if growth is observed, sterilization is not possible (+). The drug concentration required for sterilization was measured. The results are shown in Table 1. A synergistic effect was observed when ethanol and alkaline substances were used together,
Particularly notable were sodium carbonate and trisodium phosphate. Trisodium phosphate means 12 hydrate (the same applies below).

【table】

[Table] (b) The bactericidal activity of a combination of three drugs: ethanol, sodium carbonate, and trisodium phosphate was measured in the same manner as in experiment (a) (contact time 30 seconds). The results are shown in Table 2. When the three drugs were used together, a stronger bactericidal effect (synergistic effect) was observed than expected from the combined use of ethanol and sodium carbonate or ethanol and trisodium phosphate. From these experimental results, we found that the combination of ethanol and alkaline substances, especially the combination of ethanol, sodium carbonate, and trisodium phosphate, can significantly reduce the required concentration of each chemical, and also reduce the negative effects on quality such as odor and denaturation. It is possible to sterilize extremely effectively without any generation.

【table】

[Table] Example 1 For broilers where Salmonella contamination is a particular problem, 7% ethanol and sodium carbonate were used.
The bactericidal effects of mixtures of 4.0-1.0% and 2.0-0.5% trisodium phosphate were investigated. Approximately 50 g of broiler chicken wings were immersed in a suspension of Salmonella teifiyurium ATCC 14028 for 30 seconds, taken out, and left to stand for 5 minutes to allow sufficient bacteria to adhere. The wings were then soaked in a mixture of ethanol, sodium carbonate and trisodium phosphate for 1 minute or 5 minutes.
Soak for 5 minutes (liquid temperature: 5℃), remove immediately, and use SBG.
The number of Salmonella was measured using the basal medium by the most accurate method (3-line method). For comparison, measurements were also made in the same way when chicken wings were immersed in a bacterial suspension and then immersed in distilled water, a sodium hypochlorite solution (available chlorine: 200 ppm), and 70% ethanol. The result is the third
They are summarized in the table. The numbers in the table indicate the number of bacteria (numbers/
g).

[Table] By using 7% ethanol in combination with 2.5-4.0% sodium carbonate and/or 0.5-10% trisodium phosphate, salmonella can be tested negative within 1 minute, and sodium hypochlorite (effective It showed a significantly stronger bactericidal effect than chlorine (200ppm) or 70% ethanol. In addition, by soaking for 5 minutes, all test areas were reduced to 90%.
It showed the above bactericidal effect. Example 2 (a) Chicken wings inoculated with Salmonella on the bactericidal effect of the formulation of Formulation Example 1, its 4/3, 2 and 5 times diluted solutions, and a sodium hypochlorite solution (available chlorine 200 ppm) as a comparative example Example 1 using
I investigated in the same way. The results are shown in Table 4. When chicken wings are immersed in the formulation of formulation row 1 and its 4/3 diluted solution for 1 minute, Salmonella bacteria can be completely sterilized. In addition, if the sample is immersed in a 2-fold diluted solution for 3 minutes, the result will be negative for Salmonella bacteria. Even in a 4-fold diluted solution, when soaked for 3 minutes or more, the number of Salmonella bacteria is reduced to 10 ³ cells/g or less, which can be said to be a sufficient bactericidal effect for practical purposes.

[Table] (b) In order to investigate the effect of the fungicide of the present invention on the quality of food, especially its flavor, chicken fillet (a)
The samples were immersed in the same chemical for 5 minutes, and then a panel of 10 people conducted a sensory test on the appearance, off-taste, and odor immediately after immersion, as well as on the products baked on a hot plate. The results are shown in Table 5. The fungicide of the present invention did not affect the flavor at all even when used as a neat solution. The disinfectant of the present invention was effective in sterilizing harmful microorganisms such as E. coli, staphylococcus, and salmonella in chicken, beef, pork, and fresh seafood (shrimp).

[Table] Number of panels where a change in appearance, strange taste, or smell was felt.
Example 3 Approximately 100 g of cucumbers, which are vegetables that are eaten raw among delicatessen foods and are the most susceptible to bacterial contamination, were prepared at twice, 3.3 times,
It was immersed in a 10-fold diluted solution and a sodium subzinc oxide solution (available chlorine concentration 200 ppm) for 15 or 30 minutes.
This was immediately taken out, homogenized using a conventional method, and then the number of bacteria was measured using the plate dilution method. The number of general bacteria was measured using a standard agar medium, and the number of coliform bacteria was measured using a desoxycholate medium. The results are shown in Table 6. 2 times and 3.3 times the formulation of Formulation Example 1
For 1:1 diluted solution, soak for 15 minutes, and for 10:1 diluted solution.
It can be completely sterilized by soaking for 30 minutes. Approximately 99% sterilization effect was obtained even by immersion in a 10-fold diluted solution for 15 minutes.

[Table] Example 4 In the production line of “Kaniashikaze Kamaboko”,
Spray or soak the floor of the production room, belt conveyor, cutting machine, product container, and packaging table with the formulation of Formulation Example 1, and perform bacterial testing using the wiping method (30 x 30 cm).
The number of general viable bacteria was measured using a standard agar medium, and the number of coliform bacteria was measured using a desoxycholate medium. As a result, before using the disinfectant of the present invention, both devices had a general viable bacterial count of 10 ³ to 10 ⁵ and a coliform group count of 10 to 10 ³ .
However, by spraying or dipping with the formulation of Formulation Example 1, the number of viable bacteria in general was reduced to 10 to 10 ² , and the result was completely negative for coliform bacteria. From the above results, it is known that the sterilizing agent of the present invention is also effective in sterilizing equipment and instruments in food factories. Example 5 The sterilization effect of bacteria adhering to the surface of chicken eggs was investigated. Soak chicken eggs (approximately 67 g) in a suspension of Salmonella teifimilium ATCC 14028 for 30 seconds.
Bacteria were sufficiently attached. Next, after being immersed in an aqueous solution of each drug for 1 minute or 5 minutes, the surface was wiped and the number of general bacteria and Salmonella bacteria was measured. The results are shown in Table 7. The preparation of Formulation Example 1 and the 4/3 diluted solution can be completely sterilized by immersion for 1 minute, and the 2 times diluted solution for 5 minutes. As described above, the fungicide of the present invention exhibits a remarkable bactericidal effect and is also effective as a bactericidal agent for chicken eggs.

[Table] Example 6 Using the formulations of Formulation Examples 2 to 6, the bactericidal effects on chicken wings inoculated with Salmonella bacteria (10 ⁴ cells/g) were investigated. As a result, all preparations were able to be completely negative by immersion for 5 minutes. In addition, the tuna was soaked for 1 to 5 minutes,
The surface was tested for bacteria by wiping. As a result, coliform bacteria, salmonella, and staphylococcus were not observed, indicating that the disinfectant of the present invention had a remarkable bactericidal effect. Parts in the following formulation examples mean weight. Formulation Example 1 Add an appropriate amount of water to a mixture consisting of 6.1 parts of pharmacopoeial ethanol, 2 parts of trisodium phosphate, and 4 parts of sodium carbonate to make a total solution of 100 parts. Formulation Example 2 Add an appropriate amount of water to a mixture consisting of 8.7 parts of pharmacopoeial ethanol, 1.7 parts of trisodium phosphate, and 2 parts of sodium carbonate to make a total solution of 100 parts. Formulation Example 3 Add an appropriate amount of water to a mixture consisting of 8.7 parts of pharmacopoeial ethanol and 5 parts of sodium carbonate to make a total solution of 100 parts. Formulation example 4 Pharmacopoeia ethanol 8.7 parts and trisodium phosphate 1.7 parts
Add an appropriate amount of water to the mixture to make a total solution of 100 parts. Formulation example 5 Pharmacopoeia ethanol 4.4 parts, sodium hydroxide 0.2
parts, 2 parts of sodium carbonate and trisodium phosphate
Add an appropriate amount of water to a mixture consisting of 0.9 parts to make a total volume of 100
of solution. Formulation Example 6 Dissolve 0.2 parts of sodium hydroxide in 8.7 parts of pharmacopoeial ethanol, and add an appropriate amount of water to make a total volume of 100 parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A disinfectant for foods or food processing equipment, which contains as an active ingredient at least one alkaline substance selected from ethanol and an alkali metal hydroxide, an alkali metal carbonate, or a trialkali metal phosphate.