Efficacy of an Enzyme-based Floor Cleaner Containing N, N-bis (3-aminopropyl) Laurylamine against Foodborne Pathogens on Four Flooring Types Used in Foodservice Environments

摘要

The importance of contamination on non-food contact surfaces and the potential of transfer to food and food contact surfaces are often underestimated, although several studies have demonstrated the prevalence of foodborne pathogens on floors, floor drains, sinks, and milk crates and in dairy cases. In this study we investigated the antimicrobial efficacy of an enzyme-based floor cleaner with added sanitizer against spoilage and foodborne pathogen microorganisms on four different flooring types commonly used in food service and retail environments. After five minutes exposure time, all the organisms tested were reduced by 3 log CFU/cm~2 or greater. The two most resistant microorganisms, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter aero-genes, were selectedfor further study in which the influence of microbial attachment time and surface morphology was investigated. Resultsshowed that increased drying time on floor tiles did not influence antimicrobial activity performance of the solution; microscopy analysis indicated that on non-uniform surfaces, microorganisms were able to harbor in surface defects, resulting in decreased exposure to the antimicrobial solution. The results obtained in this research demonstrated the significance of floor surface characteristics and morphology on the effectiveness of the cleaning and sanitizing process as well as the importance of choosing the appropriate floor material for retail and food service environments.