Food scientists develop new antimicrobial for cleaning and sanitizing dry-food processing equipment

Dry foods such as spices, grains, chocolate and milk powders are manufactured in facilities that limit water use during cleaning. In these environments, residual moisture can create harbor-sites for pathogens, increasing food safety risks. Because of this, dry sanitation practices are essential. Without the ability to rely on traditional, water-based cleaning and sanitation methods, food safety professionals have turned to alternative approaches, including alcohol-based mixtures. While these solutions can be effective, their flammability poses potential safety risks to both workers and facilities.

In a new study recently published in the Journal of Food Protection and supported by the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences’s (IAFNS) Food Microbiology Committee, researchers evaluated the efficacy of antimicrobial liquids formulated with volatile, nonpolar liquids like cyclomethicone and isoparaffin against Salmonella and Cronobacter bacteria, which pose food safety risks. The results demonstrated that a formulation containing cyclomethicone combined with vinegar-based acetic acid was the most effective against the target pathogens. In addition, the formulation has a high flashpoint—the temperature at which a substance can ignite if exposed to a spark or flame. This flashpoint is well above the temperatures typically encountered in dry-food processing environments, providing an added margin of safety.

Additionally, the new formulation contains only 3% water, compared to 30% for traditional products. “All dry-cleaning products need some moisture to enhance the microbial kill,” says Lynne McLandsborough, professor of food science at the UMass Amherst and the paper’s senior author, “but too much moisture can raise the relative humidity in a plant. More humidity can then lead to more microbial survival and possibly blunt efforts to decontaminate the environment.”

The antimicrobial system was further validated with a hand-cleaning approach for surface contamination in the presence of food residues. The antimicrobial liquid successfully decontaminated a stainless-steel surface following extensive physical cleaning.

The work serves as a stepping-stone for further research on optimal cleaners for dry-food manufacturers. “This work served as a proof-of-concept that volatile nonpolar liquids can be formulated to provide antimicrobial activity,” according to the study. With future work to improve the stability and optimization of the antimicrobial mixture, this work could be a game-changing alternative to alcohol-based agents for dry cleaning and sanitation and improve food safety of dry foods.

According to McLandsborough, “our research shows that a low‑moisture antimicrobial liquid made with cyclomethicone and acetic acid can rapidly reduce Salmonella and Cronobacter on stainless steel surfaces, offering strong sanitation performance without the flammability concerns of alcohol-based cleaners. This formulation provides a safer, practical option for dry‑food processors who need effective pathogen control in low‑moisture environments.”