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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Quality and Safety Assessment Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #357718
Research Project: Develop Rapid Optical Detection Methods for Food Hazards

Location: Quality and Safety Assessment Research Unit

Title: Food grade dye for assessment of biofilm removal from stainless steel by cleaning and sanitizing agents

Author
item Gamble, Gary
item Lawrence, Kurt
item Park, Bosoon
item Yoon, Seung
item Heitschmidt, Gerald

Submitted to: Food Protection Trends
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/22/2019
Publication Date: 11/11/2019
Citation: Gamble, G.R., Lawrence, K.C., Park, B., Yoon, S.C., Heitschmidt, G.W. 2019. Food grade dye for assessment of biofilm removal from stainless steel by cleaning and sanitizing agents. Food Protection Trends. Volume 39, Issue 6: Pages 442–448.

Interpretive Summary: The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of a food grade dye, erythrosin B, for use in the development of a quantitative color difference methodology to measure the efficacy of cleaner/sanitizer solutions in removing biofilm components from stainless-steel surfaces. Biofilms of Listeria innocua and Pseudomonas putida were grown on stainless-steel coupons, subjected to various cleaner/sanitizer treatments, then stained with erythrosine B. Resultant coupons were photographed and color differences between background and dyed area evaluated. Color differences conformed to a scale correlated with human visual perception. Results indicated that the method provides sensitivity for visual appraisal of treatment-response as well as species-response relationships. The method shows potential as an enhancement for visual inspection to assess cleaning/sanitizing of food processing environments as part of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point program.

Technical Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of a food grade dye, erythrosin B, for use in the development of a quantitative color difference methodology to measure the efficacy of cleaner/sanitizer solutions in removing biofilm components from stainless-steel surfaces. Biofilms of Listeria innocua and Pseudomonas putida were grown on stainless-steel coupons, subjected to various cleaner/sanitizer treatments, then stained with erythrosine B. Resultant coupons were photographed and color differences between background and dyed area evaluated. Color differences conformed to a scale correlated with human visual perception. Results indicated that the method provides sensitivity for visual appraisal of treatment-response as well as species-response relationships. The method shows potential as an enhancement for visual inspection to assess cleaning/sanitizing of food processing environments as part of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point program.