In our previous post, Biofilm Basics: How it’s formed, we learned about how biofilm is formed and its Extracellular Polymeric Substance (EPS). What makes biofilm so dangerous to public health is its outstanding resistance to antibacterial treatments and disinfection. Resistance to antimicrobial treatment Resistance is the ability not to be affected by something, especially adversely. […]
One of the best ways to prevent disease and optimize performance in your broiler operation is to make sure your water supply is clean and waterlines are in good condition. Feed and water consumption are strongly correlated, and water consumption can be an indicator of flock health and performance. Water quality also has a direct […]
One way to help stop the spread of viruses is to disinfect hard, non-porous surfaces and high-touch/high-traffic areas such as countertops, floors, doors, handles, handrails, and more. However, just using a disinfectant doesn’t automatically kill all pathogens. Have you ever stopped and read the label of your disinfectant? Many (most) of us are guilty of […]
Improving Food Safety in Pork Processing Protecting human health, minimizing food loss and food waste, and reducing equipment damage are top priorities for all food manufacturers, but protein processors face the most challenges when it comes to eliminating pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria. A variety of factors such as incoming pathogen loads […]
Finding a positive drain swab above your identified threshold when you are ready to start production is not how you want to start your day. As you work to identify the root cause of the issue, here are 3 things to evaluate and address in a Corrective Action Plan for floor drain cleaning and sanitation. […]
For years, sanitation crews have been manually cleaning floor drains in food manufacturing facilities. What if we said there is a way to better protect your product from contamination, while saving time and labor? Here are three common mistakes in floor drain cleaning: Manual Scrubbing Drains create the ideal environment for biofilm to grow and […]
Five Benefits of Treating Waterlines Between Poultry Flocks You can’t really talk about improving the drinking water quality for poultry without also talking about biofilm and the importance of removing it from waterlines between flocks. We dive deeper into what biofilm is in our first Biofilm Basics blog, but generally speaking, biofilm provides a protective […]
Prevent Avian Influenza with a Strong Biosecurity Program Wild water birds (like ducks and geese) can be infected with bird flu viruses, but usually do not get sick. However, they easily carry and spread the virus through their saliva, mucous and feces. This is why we typically see major Avian influenza outbreaks in the U.S. […]
When it comes to dry sanitizers, one of the most frequently asked questions is how Sterilex Ultra Step and ProvaStride are activated without the intentional introduction of water. Sterilex Ultra Step and ProvaStride — our newest quat-free, dry sanitizer — are ideal for low moisture environments and are activated when their ingredients encounter a moisture […]
Are you guilty of not washing your water bottle or reusable straw after every use? Over the past several years there have been a number of news articles reporting on studies suggesting your reusable water bottle could be making you sick. Did you know that some water bottles contain more bacteria than an average home toilet seat? Water collects on the lip or spout of the bottle (or the straw) and creates the perfect warm, moist breeding ground for bacteria.
It is now well established that bacteria, including foodborne pathogens, predominantly grow in biofilms, their natural habitat. Biofilms are comprised of dense, complex, multi-species populations of microorganisms that are irreversibly attached to a surface or to each other, and are embedded in a self-produced extracellular polymeric matrix.
Dodge your facility’s quat restrictions and trust your products are protected from food safety pathogens with ProvaStride, Sterilex’s new quat-free, EPA-registered powder sanitizer, designed for low-moisture, quat-sensitive environments. ProvaStride adds another powerful powder to our trusted product portfolio, bringing customers with quat restrictions an alternative to Sterilex Ultra Step. Contact us if you are interested […]
