Why Biofilm Removal Is Critical to Preventing Contamination Recent Salmonella recalls involving shell eggs, produce, and dairy ingredients highlight a growing challenge for food manufacturers: preventing pathogen persistence within the processing environment. Salmonella remains one of the leading causes of foodborne illness and continues to drive costly recalls, regulatory scrutiny, and brand damage across the […]
Pathogens and biofilm can accumulate in drains, especially on drain walls above the normal fluid level. Foam provides 360° contact along pipe walls for maximum sanitation. Chemical products used with this equipment must be formulated for this type of application and compatible with unit materials and pump seals. For more information on chemical compatibility, consult […]
The strongest food safety programs don’t just maintain cleanliness during production. They use scheduled downtime to get ahead of contamination risks and strengthen facility sanitation before startup. Recent high-profile recalls and outbreak investigations have underscored the importance of proactive pathogen control. Contamination events often begin long before a positive test result, consumer illness or recall […]
Biofilm Isn’t Seasonal. Production and Regular Sanitation Are. Many of the packinghouses and processing facilities in the produce industry follow a seasonal production schedule to match the growing cycles of the fruits and vegetables they process. This creates unique challenges across the organization: production, maintenance and sanitation schedules are all impacted. This is added to […]
A positive drain swab above your microbial threshold right before production is a setback and an early warning signal. Drains are one of the most common harborage points for Listeria, Salmonella, and biofilm-forming organisms, and once established, contamination can spread quickly through foot and equipment traffic and aerosols. Why do drains test positive? Drains are […]
What is audit defensibility in food manufacturing? Audit defensibility is a facility’s ability to prove—using documented evidence—that its sanitation program and food safety practices perform as intended. It relies on validated protocols, EPA-registered chemistry and audit-ready documentation to stand up to customer, certification and regulatory audits. What does a defensible sanitation program include? A defensible […]
For food safety and operations teams, audit expectations are rising, and a well-documented sanitation program is now both a compliance requirement and a business advantage. Customer and third-party food safety audits are a regular part of food manufacturing. To consistently pass them, facilities need strong audit defensibility: the ability to prove a sanitation program works […]
Treatment Value Sterilex Ultra CIP (Solution 1) and Sterilex Ultra Activator Solution (Solution 2) function as a hard surface disinfectant and biofilm remover. A defoamer formulated into Sterilex Ultra CIP allows the chemistry to be used in CIP systems. Application of Sterilex Ultra CIP + Sterilex Ultra Activator Solution Shock Treatment (Initial Treatment) When beginning […]
Sterilex Ultra CIP (Solution 1) and Sterilex Ultra Activator Solution (Solution 2) is a hard surface disinfectant and is designed to solve the most difficult sanitation challenges and remove biofilm*. Sterilex Ultra CIP is formulated with a defoamer to allow PerQuat® chemistry to be used in CIP systems. Application of Sterilex Ultra CIP + Sterilex […]
Biofilms are structured microbial communities encased in an extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) matrix that shields embedded organisms from stressors and antimicrobials. When conditions shift (e.g., nutrient change, temperature or pH shifts), biofilms transition into dispersion: specialized cells detach, become mobile “seeds,” and relocate with the circulating fluid to new surfaces. This seeding dispersal is a […]
