SUSCLEAN – SUMMARY OF THE PROGRESS ON APPLICABLE PROJECT RESULTS | Issue 1.
1
SusClean
Sustainable Cleaning and Disinfection in
Fresh-cut Food Industries is a collaborative
project financed by the EC under the FP7
Summary of the Progress of
Applicable Project Results
for fresh-cut food industries
June 2013
SUSTAINABLE CLEANING AND DISINFECTION IN FRESH-CUT FOOD INDUTRIES
IN THIS ISSUE
Summary of the Progress on the Applicable
Project Results
•
SUSCLEAN is collaborative project based on a well-balanced partnership between research institutes and
industrial partners. It is targeted to a special group such as SMEs focusing on minimally processed vegetables
(MPV).
•
The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of the main achievements obtained in the first period
of the 3-year project so far.
Table of Content
•
Page 2
General project overview
Page 3
Identification of critical points for persistent
contamination on machinery and describing
the dynamics of product-associated
microflora
•
•
•
•
Page 4
Alternative equipment sanitizing and MPV
decontamination strategies
Page 5-6
Environmental assessment of new sanitation
Page 7
Reduction of chlorine and water
consumption and decontamination
techniques
Page 8-9
Project Partners and Contact Info
SusClean (contract n. FP7-KKB-2011-5, project number: 287514) is a collaborative project financed by the EC under the FP7.
SUSCLEAN – SUMMARY OF THE PROGRESS ON APPLICABLE PROJECT RESULTS | Issue 1.
General project overview
SUSCLEAN aims to contribute to the development
and implementation of a new generation of environmentfriendly equipment sanitation and food product
decontamination technologies while ensuring food
safety focusing on minimally processed vegetables
(MPV).
Project Objectives
•
to design new decontamination approaches for MPV
and sanitation strategies for their processing
equipment along the supply chain;
2
•
to improve the hygienic design of equipment for the
fresh-cut product industry while considering the
impact of sanitation and decontamination strategies
in line with the Directive on Integrated Pollution
Prevention Control (IPPC) 2008/1/CE.
•
to propose guidance and recommendations to renew
the best available processing techniques;
Expected achievements
•
•
to reduce the use of water and chemicals (chlorine) up
to 20-50%;
to ensure food safety, sustainable practices and
preserving European fresh-cut food quality and
competitiveness.
Whom can the “SUSCLEAN” project serve?
SMEs and other food chain members
Food manufacturers
Minimally Processed Vegetable (MPV) and fruit
(fresh-cut) and other chilled food manufacturers
Frozen food manufacturers, canned food – where
there is nor any kill step for microbes / where
chlorination is used to maintain water quality
Equipment manufacturing industry, suppliers
Manufacturers / suppliers of chemicals, cleaning
agents, cleaning solutions
Policy makers and food control authorities
Retailers and other customers
Benefits for SMEs - Expected achievements (2012-2014)
Knowledge and solutions
Alternative physical cleaning methods
Alternative chemical cleaning and disinfection
methods
Optimising current cleaning and disinfection
processes to reduce the use of the water and chlorine
Recommended practices for improved alternative
treatments and their impact on food quality
Cleaning and disinfecting strategies combining:
•
•
•
the design of alternative equipment geometries and
surfaces
innovative cleaning techniques
application of alternative disinfecting agents
Hygienic design of equipment - recommendations for
the fresh-cut product industry
Critical areas of microbial growth in processing
affecting cross-contamination
Assessment
of
environmental
impact
of
existing/improved sanitation & decontamination
treatments
Guidance and recommendations to renew the best
available processing techniques (BAT)
Improved knowledge on better understanding of
microbiological contamination and persistence
Guideline for sustainable cleaning and disinfection
Guideline for Cleaning Suited Equipment
Knowledge on reduction of chlorine and water
consumption
Improved knowledge on better understanding of
microbiological contamination and persistence
• Mechanisms of microbial colonisation & biofilm
development on MPV & equipment
• Resistance mechanisms of spoilage & pathogen
microorganisms induced by sanitising procedures
and the ability for re-growth
• Changes in microbial virulence & infectivity with
different sanitation and decontamination
approaches
• Predictive models to simulate destruction by
chemical/physical treatments of microbial cells
SusClean (contract n. FP7-KKB-2011-5, project number: 287514) is a collaborative project financed by the EC under the FP7.
SUSCLEAN – SUMMARY OF THE PROGRESS ON APPLICABLE
PROJECT RESULTS | Issue 1.
3
Identification of critical points
for persistent contamination on
machinery and describing the
dynamics of product-associated
microflora
Microbial samplings campaigns
were performed in a large-scale
salad vegetable processing plants
with the goal to identify critical
points for persistent contamination
on machinery and to describe the
dynamics of product-associated
microflora through the processing
line.
A first campaign was directed to
the resident flora on surfaces of
machinery after cleaning and
disinfection.
Overall,
the
contamination rate was low but
some critical points were identified.
The spoilage organism Pseudomonas
sp. was found to be an important
resident flora which seemed to be
adapted
to
this
processing
environment.
High loads of Pseudomonas sp.
was found in a part of the
decontamination
tank.
These
Pseudomonas isolates might display
a significant resistance to chlorine
and specific properties for biofilm
formation and are likely to be a
source of (re)contamination of the
product. Further research will focus
on the resistance of these
Pseudomonas biofilms and the role
these biofilm have in protecting
pathogenic
bacteria
from
decontamination.
A second sampling campaign
was directed towards describing the
microflora dynamics of iceberg
lettuce through the processing chain
(washing, decontamination, packing,
and
storage).
The
natural
contamination of iceberg lettuce was
high with more than 6 log CFU/g of
aerobic
mesophilic
and
psychrotrophic
microorganisms,
with
a
predominance
of
Pseudomonas sp.
Washing/chlorination resulted in
decreased levels of Pseudomonas sp
as well as of Enterobacteriaceae and
fecal coliforms (which potentially
include pathogens) to below the
detection limit. However, further in
the production line during cold
storage of the product these bacteria
increased in numbers, indicating
they had not been removed entirely
and that these organisms are able to
grow at cold-chain conditions.
An ongoing sampling campaign
will compare the resident microflora
and the dynamics of produceassociated microflora between to
processing plants that only differ the
use of chlorinated water versus the
use of non-chlorinated borehole
water. This should give insight into
the role and added value of chlorine
in the washwater.
SusClean (contract n. FP7-KKB-2011-5, project number: 287514) is a collaborative project financed by the EC under the FP7.
SUSCLEAN – SUMMARY OF THE PROGRESS ON APPLICABLE
PROJECT RESULTS | Issue 1.
4
Alternative equipment
sanitizing and MPV
decontamination strategies
One of the aims of the project is to evaluate new
decontamination procedures including chemicals and
physical treatments to remove and control biofilms. For
each processing critical point methods will be regarded
and categorized both for food and equipment.
Based on the background and expertise of
industrial partners, a list of possible alternative sanitation
and decontamination strategies was established.
A disruptive approach is proposed based on the
use of methods and techniques rarely applied in MPV
industries are proposed. These methods and techniques,
chemical and mechanical, were evaluated in terms of the
Preparation of a salad leaf
applicability to processes in the production of MPV on
both equipment surfaces and the produce.
Several conditions were advised for lab scale
methods for testing the decontamination rate of washing
produce (leafy vegetable, e.g. baby leaf) as reference
method: the use of a controlled method based on the
application of chlorine.
Alternative chemical methods to be investigated
are phytochemicals, chlorine dioxide, ozone, hydrogen
peroxide, organic acids, enzymes and enzyme solutions as
well as copper and silver. The physical treatments focus on
pulsed UV light, pulsed electric fields; cold plasma, neutral
electrolyzed
oxidizing
water
and
ultrasound.
CbU tests with different methods before (top) and
after decontamination (bottom)
SusClean (contract n. FP7-KKB-2011-5, project number: 287514) is a collaborative project financed by the EC under the FP7.
SUSCLEAN – SUMMARY OF THE PROGRESS ON APPLICABLE
PROJECT RESULTS | Issue 1.
5
Environmental
assessment of new
sanitation and
decontamination
techniques
The new sanitation and decontamination techniques
proposed by SUSCLEAN project are being tested from the
point of view of their effectiveness for reaching the
required hygienic level, their effect on the product quality
and their environmental performance compared with the
standard practices.
Decontamination is a washing process aimed to
eliminate organic and inorganic soiling material, pests,
and foreign bodies from the vegetables and to reduce the
concentration of microorganisms in their surface.
Sanitation is a process aimed to cleaning and disinfection
of equipment.
The evaluation of the environmental impact of these
techniques/strategies is carried out by using a Life Cycle
Assessment methodology, giving special importance to
the main environmental topics of the project: the
consumption of water and energy.
On other hand, novel techniques are assessed from an
integrated point of view after the criteria established by
the Industrial Emissions Directive (lPPC Directive) as
candidates to Best Available Techniques (BAT). The
objective is to produce suitable information that allows
their assessment as candidates to BAT.
Screenshot of the LCA tools - Umberto software
SusClean (contract n. FP7-KKB-2011-5, project number: 287514) is a collaborative project financed by the EC under the FP7.
SUSCLEAN – SUMMARY OF THE PROGRESS ON APPLICABLE
PROJECT RESULTS | Issue 1.
6
Environmental assessment of new sanitation and decontamination techniques (continued)
The scope and boundaries of each studied systems,
the functional units for each process, the reference
(standard) techniques and the parameters involved have
already been defined. Input data for this LCA assessment
mainly come from the experimental trials that are carried
out for each sanitation and decontamination technique. A
material flow model and a subsequent Life Cycle impact
assessment (LCIA) are being performed with two different
LCA tools (GaBi® and Umberto).
Special challenges arise from the fact that the data are
gathered from different experimental scales, like lab trials
and pilot plant test for new technologies and industrial
plants for current technology. To ensure an adequate
information exchange among partners a methodology has
been defined.
For the time being, experimental trials for the diverse
sanitation and decontamination techniques are starting,
so no results of corresponding LCA are already available.
The technique of decontamination to disinfect fresh
cut food with ozone instead of with chlorinated water is
also being assessed.
Screenshot of the LCA tools - GaBi® software
SusClean (contract n. FP7-KKB-2011-5, project number: 287514) is a collaborative project financed by the EC under the FP7.
SUSCLEAN – SUMMARY OF THE PROGRESS ON APPLICABLE
PROJECT RESULTS | Issue 1.
7
Reduction of chlorine and
water consumption
For finding solutions for the general problem of
excessive use of chlorine, preliminary solutions as
alternative disinfection strategies using Cu/Ag solutions
and phytochemicals are being tested. These techniques
can be potentially used in equipment sanitation.
Solutions are proposed for the problem of excessive
water usage, introduction of recycle loop in the washing
line with physical treatments of process water. This
strategy aims at saving fresh water.
A disinfection solution containing Cu and Ag ions
(commercialized by Modern Water Services, Ltd) was
tested. Preliminary results show antibacterial activity.
Two phytochemicals (ferulic and gallic acids) were
tested in bacterial disinfection. These compounds showed
good antimicrobial activity as compared to chlorine (paper
prepared by Borges A., Ferreira C., Saavedra M.J., Simões
M.: Antibacterial Activity and Mode of Action of Ferulic and
Gallic Acids Against Pathogenic Bacteria, accepted for
publication in the journal Microbial Drug Resistance, 2013).
Analysis of a typical MPV process line indicated that
the introduction of a recycle loop in the washing line can
potentially save up to 40% of fresh water.
According to the new results/solutions proposed, use
of emergent antimicrobial solutions with a net chlorine
usage reduction and potentially lower environmental
impact is identified.
Definitive conclusions about practical implementation
of the tested strategies/solutions will be provided during
further progress on the project.
SusClean (contract n. FP7-KKB-2011-5, project number: 287514) is a collaborative project financed by the EC under the FP7.
SUSCLEAN – SUMMARY OF THE PROGRESS ON APPLICABLE
PROJECT RESULTS | Issue 1.
8
About the Consortium
The project consortium includes 21 beneficiaries from
8 countries.
Research institutions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique
(INRA), France
RijksInstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu
(RIVM), The Netherlands
Asociación de Investigación de la Industria
Agroalimentaria (AINIA), Spain
Technische Universität Braunschweig (TUBS),
Germany
Fraunhofer - Institut für Schicht- und
Oberflächentechnik (IST), Germany
Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do
Porto, Portugal
Campden BRI, United Kingdom
Campden BRI Magyarország Nonprofit Korlátolt
Felelősségű Társaság, Hungary
Project management organisation
•
SMEs
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Association pour le Développement de la
Recherche appliquée aux Industries Agricoles et
alimentaires (ADRIA Développement), France
Association pour le Développement de la
Recherche dans les Industries Alimentaires de
Normandie (ADRIA NORMANDIE), France
Association pour le Développement de la
Recherche appliquée aux Industries Agroalimentaires des régions du Nord (ADRIANOR),
France
Innosieve Diagnostics BV, The Netherlands
Jürgen Löhrke GmbH, Germany
REALCO, Belgium
LE LEZ Process, France
TOP BV, The Netherlands
ADNucleis, France
Modern Water Services Ltd, United Kingdom
SinapTec, France
INRA Transfert S.A., France
Large Industry
•
Vitacress, Portugal
SusClean (contract n. FP7-KKB-2011-5, project number: 287514) is a collaborative project financed by the EC under the FP7.
SUSCLEAN – SUMMARY OF THE PROGRESS ON APPLICABLE
PROJECT RESULTS | Issue 1.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please visit: www.susclean.eu
Contact Info
Dr. Thierry Bénézech
/project coordinator/
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique
(INRA)
Thierry.Benezech@lille.inra.fr
Phone: +33 (0) 3 20 43 54 12
Dr. András Sebők
/responsible for dissemination/
Campden BRI Hungary
a.sebok@campdenkht.com
Phone: +36 1 433 1470
SusClean (contract n. FP7-KKB-2011-5, project number: 287514) is a collaborative project financed by the EC under the FP7.
9