Project: Disconnecting microbes from food and beverage process surfaces
Cleaning causes costs to the food and beverage industry in terms of production stoppages and consumption of energy, water, chemicals and working hours. At the same time environmental demands urge for reduction in water consumption and the use of more environmentally friendly chemicals. To be able to fulfil both economic and environmental demands, the industry needs novel means for managing microbes on process surfaces. Photocatalytic and low surface energy coatings have been shown to have potential for reducing attachment of microbial cells to surfaces with reductions of 10-90%, but results are not always consistent. In addition, most studies have been done with only single bacterial species, which does not reflect the real situation. Another means to improve process hygiene could be interference of microbial signalling. Microbes use quorum sensing signalling in forming biofilms, and compounds disturbing quorum sensing have been identified. The aim of this project is to find out ways to exploit functional coatings, material solutions, and quorum sensing inhibition for achieving better hygiene of food and beverage process surfaces. In addition, the project aims at optimizing cleaning chemicals and methods to function along with the new surface solutions. The expected outcome of the project is the development of novel materials and surface modifications reducing microbial attachment and/or facilitating their removal to be used in a variety of applications. They will provide environmentally friendly means to improve process hygiene in food and beverage industry.
| Acronym | DISCONNECTING (Reference Number: MFM-1855) |
| Project Topic | Multi-functional materials |
| Network | MATERA+ |
| Call | Matera+ Call |
Project partner
| Number | Name | Role | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technical Research Centre of Finland | Coordinator | Finland |
| 2 | Tampere University of Technology | Partner | Finland |
| 3 | Manchester Metropolitan University | Partner | United Kingdom |
| 4 | Panimolaboratorio | Partner | Finland |
| 5 | JohnsonDiversey | Partner | Finland |
| 6 | Millidyne Oy | Partner | Finland |
| 7 | Teer Coatings Limited | Partner | United Kingdom |
| 8 | Millennium Chemicals (Cristal Global) | Partner | United Kingdom |