Biological disinfection of specific contaminating bacteria on stainless steel food preparation surface

W.A.M. Wan Zairi, R. Dixon and R. Williams

Abstract

A study of the possibility of using bacteriophage as a disinfecting agent for the control of contaminating bacteria on food preparation surface was conducted. Escherichia coli strain K12 and T4 bacteriophages were used as bacteria and bacteriophage disinfecting model. Stainless steel food contact surfaces were used in the experiments. Survival of bacteria without disinfection and survival of bacteria disinfected with 1% and 10% bacteriophage suspension was investigated. A 10% bacteriophage suspension appeared to be effective in reducing the number of the test organism (Escherichia coli) on the contact surface, as the number of surviving bacteria on the test surface was generally lower at a shorter contact time as compared to 1% bacteriophage suspension. The rate of disinfecting ability of bacteriophage was shown to be a function of the number of contaminating bacteria on a surface. Heavy surface contamination requires more time to be disinfected. The results indicated that bacteriophage in the form of suspension was applicable for the control of specific contaminating bacteria on the tested food contact surface.

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