Valutazione dell’attività antimicrobica di prodotti per l’igiene e la disinfezione di superfici nel settore alimentare

Disinfection of work surfaces is a critical step in the food industry. In this study, we evaluated the antimicrobial efficacy of four commercial products against target pathogens, using the suspension test indicated in the European Standard EN 1276: 2009. The data obtained indicate that the product containing benzalkonium chloride (“A”) was the most effective with a logarithmic reduction > 5 against all microorganisms after 5 minutes of contact in simulated dirty and clean conditions. Efficacy of the product based on sodium hypochlorite (“B”) was dependent on the experimental conditions applied, while for products containing hydrogen peroxide and citric acid (“C” and “D” respectively), 15 min of contact were required, in both the experimental conditions, to obtain a logarithmic reduction> 5. Exposure time to disinfectants and applied conditions appear to be important in reducing bacterial load to safe levels in the food industry