Hygiene of gasket materials used in food processing equipment: Part 1: New materials

Erna Storgårds (Corresponding Author), Hanna Simola, Anna-Maija Sjöberg, Gun Wirtanen

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

    28 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Gasket materials used in the food industry were studied for their susceptibility to biofilm formation and their cleanability in cleaning-in-place operations. The materials included in the study were EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber), NBR (nitrile butyl rubber, also known as Buna-N), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) and Viton (fluoroelastomer). Stainless steel was used as a reference material. The experiments were performed with new (unused) materials in test conditions simulating dairy or brewing processes. Mixed cultures of Bacillus thuringiensis and Pseudomonas fragi or Pantoea agglomerans and Pediococcus inopinatus were used as test organisms and the cleaning-inplace was performed in an experimental test rig. The conventional plate count method, epifluorescence microscopy in connection with image analysis, and impedance measurements were used to estimate the amount of biofilm on test surfaces before and after cleaning. The susceptibility to biofilm formation was dependent on the process conditions simulated and varied between the different materials. PTFE was less susceptible in dairy conditions,whereas NBR was less susceptible in brewery conditions. The cleanability of both materials was as good as that of stainless steel when cleaning-in-place parameters typical both for dairies and for breweries were used. The methods used for detection of surface-bound bacteria and biofilm are discussed.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)137-145
    Number of pages9
    JournalFood and Bioproducts Processing
    Volume77
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1999
    MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

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