Susceptibilities of Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, and avirulent Bacillus anthracis spores to liquid biocides.

The susceptibility of spores of Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, and avirulent Bacillus anthracis to treatment with hydrogen peroxide, peroxyacetic acid, a peroxy-fatty acid mixture, sodium hypochlorite, and acidified sodium chlorite was investigated. Results indicated that B. cereus spores may be reasonable predictors of B. anthracis spore inactivation by peroxyacetic acid-based biocides. However, B. cereus was not a reliable predictor of B. anthracis inactivation by the other biocides. In studies comparing B. cereus and B. subtilis, B. cereus spores were more resistant (by 1.5 to 2.5 log CFU) than B. subtilis spores to peroxyacetic acid, the peroxy-fatty acid mixture, and acidified sodium chlorite. Conversely, B. subtilis spores were more resistant than B. cereus spores to hydrogen peroxide. These findings indicated the relevance of side-by-side testing of target organisms and potential surrogates against categories of biocides to determine whether both have similar properties and to validate the use of the surrogate microorganisms.

Inactivation of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, as a surrogate for Yersinia pestis, by liquid biocides in the presence of food residue.

The efficacy of liquid biocides is influenced by surface cleanliness, treatment time, and temperature. Experiments were completed to measure the impact of these variables on the ability of commercial biocides to inactivate Yersinia pseudotuberculosis ATCC 29910, as a surrogate for Yersinia pestis, in the presence of food residues. The test organism was mixed with water, milk, flour, or egg yolk and then dried onto stainless steel coupons. Coupons were then exposed to sodium hypochlorite, acidified sodium chlorite, a quaternary ammonium compound, an iodophor, hydrogen peroxide, peroxyacetic acid, or a peroxy-fatty acid mixture, for 10 or 30 min at 10, 20, or 30 degrees C. For all biocides except the iodophor, manufacturer-recommended disinfection levels applied for 10 min at 20 degrees C resulted in 5-log reductions of the test organism dried alone or with flour. However, in the presence of whole milk or egg yolk residue, markedly higher sodium hypochlorite, peroxyacetic acid, peroxy-fatty acid mixture, quaternary ammonium compound, and iodophor concentrations were needed to achieve the 5-log reductions. Further, the quaternary ammonium compound was incapable of achieving 5-log reductions in 10 min in the presence of milk and egg yolk residues. Hydrogen peroxide and acidified sodium chlorite disinfection levels (7.5% and 2500 ppm, respectively) achieved 5-log reductions under all test conditions. These results suggest that commercial disinfectants can adequately decontaminate clean surfaces contaminated with Y. pseudotuberculosis and Y. pestis. These results also provide guidance on the feasibility of overcoming the negative influence of food residues on disinfection by adjusting biocide exposure time, temperature, and concentration.

Inactivation of Bacillus anthracis spores by liquid biocides in the presence of food residue.

Biocide inactivation of Bacillus anthracis spores in the presence of food residues after a 10-min treatment time was investigated. Spores of nonvirulent Bacillus anthracis strains 7702, ANR-1, and 9131 were mixed with water, flour paste, whole milk, or egg yolk emulsion and dried onto stainless-steel carriers. The carriers were exposed to various concentrations of peroxyacetic acid, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), or hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) for 10 min at 10, 20, or 30 degrees C, after which time the survivors were quantified. The relationship between peroxyacetic acid concentration, H(2)O(2) concentration, and spore inactivation followed a sigmoid curve that was accurately described using a four-parameter logistic model. At 20 degrees C, the minimum concentrations of peroxyacetic acid, H(2)O(2), and NaOCl (as total available chlorine) predicted to inactivate 6 log(10) CFU of B. anthracis spores with no food residue present were 1.05, 23.0, and 0.78%, respectively. At 10 degrees C, sodium hypochlorite at 5% total available chlorine did not inactivate more than 4 log(10) CFU. The presence of the food residues had only a minimal effect on peroxyacetic acid and H(2)O(2) sporicidal efficacy, but the efficacy of sodium hypochlorite was markedly inhibited by whole-milk and egg yolk residues. Sodium hypochlorite at 5% total available chlorine provided no greater than a 2-log(10) CFU reduction when spores were in the presence of egg yolk residue. This research provides new information regarding the usefulness of peroxygen biocides for B. anthracis spore inactivation when food residue is present. This work also provides guidance for adjusting decontamination procedures for food-soiled and cold surfaces.

Wet Seed Treatment with Peroxyacetic Acid for the Control of Bacterial Fruit Blotch and Other Seedborne Diseases of Watermelon.

Prevention of seed transmission of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli into the transplant house or field is the most effective control of bacterial fruit blotch of watermelon currently available. Peroxyacetic acid was evaluated as a disinfectant that might efficaciously eradicate A. avenae subsp. citrulli from contaminated seed and also be efficacious against other seed-transmitted diseases of watermelon. Peroxyacetic acid at low concentrations eliminated A. avenae subsp. citrulli, Fusarium oxysporum, and Didymella bryoniae from microbial suspensions. Treatments of seed contaminated with A. avenae subsp. citrulli and D. bryoniae with peroxyacetic acid at 1,600 µg/ml and higher for 30 min were effective in preventing seed transmission of bacterial fruit blotch and gummy stem blight. Hydrochloric acid treatments at 10,000 µg/ml, while effective in eliminating seed transmission to watermelon seedlings, can adversely affect seed germination, especially with triploid seed. Efficacious dosages of peroxyacetic acid can be applied safely to freshly harvested triploid watermelon seed without concerns for reduction in seed quality. A most effective wet seed treatment protocol involved a 30-min treatment with peroxyacetic acid at 1,600 µg/ml followed by seed drying at low humidity in a 40°C drying oven for 48 h.