The Ionic Silver Lining

Ionic silver combats bacteria in three ways: Interrupting cell metabolism, inhibiting membrane transport processes and preventing cell multiplication. The ionic silver contained within the coating is released at a controlled rate, providing long-lasting protection against existing bacteria and viruses on the surface and any new microbes that come along. If the humidity in the environment increases, making conditions ideal for bacterial growth, the compound releases more ionic silver to counteract contamination. The result is a “self-cleaning” surface that provides continuous, long-term protection against problematic bacteria.

In addition to their long-lasting effectiveness against bacteria, ionic silver compounds vastly reduce the potential for the development of microbial resistance commonly encountered with traditional sanitizers and disinfectants and other products that contain organic antimicrobials, such as triclosan. Resistance occurs when a microbe finds a way to counteract the mechanism of attack. Since organic anti-microbials use a single mechanism of attack, microbes are much more likely to develop a resistance to them versus inorganic antimicrobials, such as ionic silver, which employ multiple methods of attack.

Conclusion

Bacterial contamination poses a significant problem for the RTE food processing industry, and conventional cleaning procedures have not done enough to address this issue. As the USDA continues to strengthen regulations designed to reduce Listeria in RTE meat and poultry products, food processors must find new and effective ways to use technology to protect plant flooring from bacterial contamination and the subsequent transmission of bacteria from surfaces to food products.

Ionic-silver is one potential solution. Incorporated into coatings, ionic silver provides a safe, long-lasting and effective way of controlling the levels of bacteria on food processing plant floors and other surfaces, breaking the chain of contamination.

References:

• Foodborne Diseases. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. February 2005.
• Food Safety Research: A focus on Listeria monocytogenes and biofilms. Food Safety Research Information Office, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
• Taormina PJ; Beuchat LR. Survival of Listeria monocytogenes in commercial food-processing equipment cleaning solutions and subsequent sensitivity to sanitizers and heat. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 2002;92(1):71-80.
• L. M. Lawrence and A. Gilmour. Characterization of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from poultry products and from the poultry-processing environment by random amplification of polymorphic DNA and multilocus enzyme electrophoresis. Applied Environmental Microbiolgy. 1995 June; 61(6): 2139–2144.
• National Institutes of Health (NIH), Division of Safety, Office of Research Services. Available from http://www.nih.gov/od/ors/ds/pubs/biodecontamination/.

Joseph Geary is vice president for technology, product development and upgrade solutions for AgION Technologies, Inc. Reach him at (781) 224-7133 or [email protected] .