SHREVEPORT, La., June 6 /PRNewswire/ — SteriFx Inc., which manufactures FreshFx antimicrobial solution, recently confirmed that poultry processing plants using FreshFx to acidify the scalder water have demonstrated a reduction in pathogen load.

“We know that adding FreshFx to the scalder can result in pathogen reduction, but we wanted to determine whether or not it would carry through the processing line,” said John R. Dankert, Ph.D., CEO of SteriFx. “We sampled birds pre-scald as well as after the New York Rinse (NYR), which had a chlorinated water rinse, and noted pathogen reduction for the samples across the scalder and NYR cabinet.

“When FreshFx was added to the scald water, aerobic plate counts were reduced an additional two logs post-NYR, and an additional one log of kill for coliforms,” added Dankert. “So, the enhanced reduction of pathogen load achieved by the FreshFx-treated scalder carried through the pickers and into evisceration. This should increase the effectiveness of any pathogen interventions later on.”

This reinforces an October 2007 Watt Poultry USA article that identified FreshFx as “helping to solve the yield/pathogen reduction dilemma.” Citing recent studies in large-scale processing plants, University of Georgia Associate Professor of Poultry Science Scott Russell, Ph.D., stated that “adding an acidic disinfectant chemical (such as FreshFx) during scalding … benefits the system, allowing scalder temperatures to be lowered without the concern that Salmonella will begin to grow.”

FreshFx is USDA-approved for use anywhere along the processing line: pre-evisceration in the scalder, over picking rails and in the NYR; throughout evisceration and for on-line reprocessing (OLR) as rinses or dips; and for pH control in the chillers, as well as post-chill. Since its approval as a processing aid in January 2003, FreshFx has been used to treat over 2.5 billion birds.

“FreshFx can maintain antimicrobial activity even in the presence of the accumulated organic load found in scalder water and other immersion systems,” said Dankert. “This contrasts sharply with alternatives that would ‘gas-off’ at high temperatures or be inhibited by the organic load, reducing effectiveness.”

Plants report increased picking efficiency and less pin-feathers, even at the lower temperatures. The low pH of FreshFx acts as a “picking aid,” probably by disrupting connections between the feather and the follicle. The ability to use lower temperatures for scalding reduces energy costs and decreases the amount of fats and oils that are released from the birds. This enhances antimicrobial effectiveness throughout the plant and could result in increased yield.

“For plants with high incoming Salmonella loads, there is no single silver bullet for Salmonella,” said Dankert. “A multi-point step reduction is usually required, and our customers see significant reductions using this strategy. In addition, the ability to reuse FreshFx many times makes multiple interventions cost-effective, while reducing water use.”

• Provide water savings with each additional antimicrobial intervention by reuse
• Improve product quality by reducing microbial contamination
• Alleviate plant safety concerns because solutions are safe and non-toxic

FreshFx solutions are GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) compounds, and are most effective and economical when reused throughout the poultry processing line, says Dr. John R. Dankert, Ph.D., CEO of SteriFx Inc., manufacturer of FreshFx pathogen control products.

“Plants using FreshFx for on-line reprocessing (OLR) have seen the benefits of reuse,” he says. “The run-off from the OLR cabinet, after it has treated the carcasses, retains its efficacy - no additional antimicrobial needs to be added to it to reduce microbes, and it can be used directly for reuse.

“Not only can the plant save this volume of water, for example, by using it in the NY rinse cabinet, it also reduces pathogens at this earlier processing step,” adds Dankert. “We have many plants that reuse FreshFx many times - from OLR to NY rinse to pickers to scalder - and for each reuse the plant saves water and adds an additional pathogen control intervention step, providing a double benefit to the customer. These water conservation benefits are always important, but are especially critical for plants operating in the Southeastern U.S., where a persistent drought threatens water supplies.”

In addition, FreshFx can be used to acidify processing waters anywhere chlorine is used to enhance the microbial killing power of chlorine.

“The very low pH of FreshFx, or reused FreshFx, can be used to kill pathogens directly, but even when diluted it can help chlorine kill pathogens,” says Dr. Bruce W. Downs, Ph.D., COO of SteriFx Inc. “Even diluted thousands of times, FreshFx has been proven to increase the oxidation- reduction potential (ORP) of chlorinated waters - again saving water through reuse and helping the plant control pathogens wherever chlorine is used.”

What’s more, FreshFx is pre-mixed, which allows for a more consistent, and economical, pH control in areas like the chiller. Accidents that produce off- gassing are much less likely to occur using pre-mixed FreshFx for pH control.

“Since FreshFx is much more potent than other solutions in its ability to lower pH, we can provide for acidification at a lower cost and with more uniformity,” says Dankert. “This has greater importance for processing plants because new regulations require that they consistently maintain pathogen control. So using FreshFx removes a source of inconsistency and saves labor in that no mixing or dissolving of powders before use is required.”

FreshFx Antimicrobial Solution, which is used to reduce pathogens during poultry processing, was identified in an October 2007 Watt Poultry USA article as helping to solve the “yield/pathogen reduction dilemma.”

Citing recent studies in large-scale processing plants, University of Georgia Associate Professor of Poultry Science Scott Russell, Ph.D., stated that adding an acidic disinfectant chemical (such as FreshFx) during scalding “benefits the system, allowing scalder temperatures to be lowered without the concern that Salmonella will begin to grow. And, acids greatly improve picking.”

FreshFx is USDA-approved for use anywhere along the processing line: pre-evisceration in the scalder, over picking rails and in the New York rinse; throughout evisceration and for on-line reprocessing (OLR) as rinses or dips; and for pH control in the chillers, as well as post-chill. Since its approval as a processing aid in January 2003, FreshFx has been used to disinfect nearly 2 billion birds.

“FreshFx can maintain antimicrobial activity even in the presence of the accumulated organic load found in scalder water and other immersion systems,” said John Dankert, Ph.D., CEO of SteriFx Inc., which manufactures FreshFx. “This contrasts sharply with alternatives that would ‘gas-off’ at high temperatures or be inhibited by the organic load, reducing effectiveness.”

The ability to use lower temperatures for scalding reduces energy costs and decreases the amount of fats and oils that are released, which enhances antimicrobial effectiveness. Also, when less fats and oils are released, an increase in yield not related to moisture might be obtained.

Of course, lower temperatures can also create an environment where Salmonella and other pathogens can thrive, and also lead to less efficient picking and other problems. However, by introducing an acidic sanitizer like FreshFx into the scalder, Salmonella incidents are dramatically reduced, and the solution’s low pH acts as a “picking aid,” probably by disrupting connections between the feather and the follicle.

“The SteriFx team works with each plant to address problems of pathogen control, water-acidification, and water savings through re-use, as well as internal validations,” said Dankert. “It is possible that a single application of FreshFx solution used for OLR, then for pathogen control at the New York rinse and pickers, could then be used to acidify the scalders. This could represent cost and water savings — and less organic debris in the system — as less is extracted from the birds at lower temperatures.

“For plants with high incoming Salmonella loads, there is no single silver bullet for Salmonella,” he added. “A multi-point step reduction is usually required. Our customers see significant reductions using this strategy.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA/FSIS) recently approved a new low-phosphate antimicrobial solution for SteriFx, Inc, after reviewing the in-plant trial results gathered in 2006-07.

The solution - FreshFx® L-12 - is the next step in the FreshFx line of antimicrobials for on-line reprocessing (OLR) of poultry carcasses. The patented FreshFx formulas are GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe), effective in controlling Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter and Listeria in poultry processing, and can be used all along the processing line: scalders, pickers, NY rinse, OLR, chillers and post-chill, or to lower the pH of chlorine interventions.

“SteriFx used industry input to develop FreshFx L-12″, says John R. Dankert, Ph.D., CEO of SteriFx. “We specifically developed our new low- phosphate formula for processing plants that are sensitive to phosphates in their waste stream. It offers highly effective technology with minimal environmental impact. This product offers an excellent alternative to plants that are looking to move away from TSP because of wastewater concerns.”

FreshFx can be Recycled for Multi-Point Applications

“To effectively control Salmonella, especially when incoming loads are high, a multi-step intervention program is required,” says Dankert. Multiple FreshFx applications during poultry processing reduces pathogens by lowering the microbial counts, reducing cross-contamination and decreasing the bacterial load entering the chilling system. “The rinse from the OLR booth remains an effective antimicrobial and many of our users collect this for use in additional rinses, dip-tanks, or to acidify washers using chlorine to increase microbial killing capacity,” he says.

It also helps reduce water usage. This double-incentive has proved to be attractive for plants facing water restrictions or increased costs for waste water treatments.

FreshFx C-12 has been used for OLR since 2004. Both FreshFx solutions are simple, concentrated solutions that are diluted with water on-site, eliminating the need for any special mixing equipment or potentially dangerous chemical reactions. “Both FreshFx C-12 and L-12 are non-toxic and will not ‘gas-off’ like some other treatments do, which makes them safe for processing plant workers and federal inspectors,” says Dankert.

Customized Pathogen Control Solutions

The FreshFx system for OLR is highly versatile, can be used in large or small plants, and can be easily adapted to the plant’s current OLR equipment and cabinets. This makes the transition time faster, easier, less costly, and usually results in a safer system because no ventilation is required.

“An important part of our work with each plant is to understand their needs and capabilities to determine which FreshFx product they should use,” says Dankert. “We work with the plant to adapt their process to utilize FreshFx, to develop reuse applications, and to assess the efficacy of their chiller system.”

SteriFx offers an automated chiller management system to provide the “polishing kill” for Salmonella and other pathogens. As the use of either FreshFx solution for OLR reduces chiller pH, the task to increase chiller efficacy becomes easier.

“This corroboration from the FSIS is great news for poultry processors,” says John R. Dankert, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of SteriFx, Inc., which manufactures FreshFx. “Not only will it allow them to skip a water rinse in any post-chiller application, it also opens the way for secondary processors to use our product directly on poultry pieces and parts pre-grind to reduce Salmonella in ground products. This will also result in water savings for the plants using FreshFx in this way.”

This use of FreshFx is consistent with the Food and Drug Administration’s definition of a processing aid, and affirms that no labeling changes are required when used post-chill, or when used by secondary processors to reduce Salmonella. This does not directly impact users of FreshFx for any pre-chill applications, but it does offer them an added opportunity for a post-chill application to reduce Salmonella and/or extend shelf life.

FreshFx is a safe, non-toxic mixture of GRAS components. By applying FreshFx antimicrobial solution at multiple points during processing, poultry processors have seen an incoming 92 percent Salmonella rate (pre-scald) fall to 3 percent or less post-chill, based on recent testing validated by an independent testing laboratory.

SteriFx has received USDA approval for use of FreshFx as a processing aid anywhere along the processing line, and can be applied as a spray or used as an immersion dip. FreshFx can be used for On-Line Reprocessing (OLR). What’s more, because of the solution’s prolonged efficacy, FreshFx can be recycled back from the OLR application to either a pre-evisceration immersion tank, or back to the New York Rinse and then to the Pickers. This reuse permits multi-use/multi-application of the solution, providing an effective and economical means to reduce Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter and Listeria in poultry processing, which also reduces water use.

By applying FreshFx antimicrobial solution at multiple points during processing, the plant saw 92 percent Salmonella rates at pre-scalder plummet to 34 percent post-pick and fall again to a remarkable 3 percent post-chill. The samples were gathered by the processing company and analyzed by an independent laboratory.

“To reduce Salmonella levels appropriately, it has been determined that no single-point intervention will succeed if the birds entering the plant have high numbers of Salmonella present,” says John R. Dankert, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of SteriFx. “Using FreshFx at multiple points during processing significantly lowers microbial counts and reduces cross- contamination.”

According to the USDA/FSIS, 16.3 percent of the 9,592 broiler samples from processing plants of all sizes in 2005 tested positive for Salmonella — an 80 percent increase over 2000 results. Much of this upward trend is attributed to the cross-contamination that occurs in the picker.

SteriFx has received USDA approval for use of FreshFx as a processing aid anywhere along the processing line, and can be applied as a spray or used as an immersion dip. FreshFx can also be used for On-Line Reprocessing (OLR). What’s more, because of the solution’s prolonged efficacy, FreshFx can be recycled back from the OLR application to either a pre-evisceration immersion tank, or back to the New York Rinse and then to the Pickers. This reuse permits multi-use/multi-application of the solution, providing an effective and economical means to reduce Salmonella.

Multiple antimicrobial interventions ultimately provide decreased contamination for the final product, as well as improved product quality, reduced water use, and minimized reprocessing labor. “FreshFx is non-toxic and will not ‘gas-off’ at higher temperatures like some other treatments do, which makes it very safe for processing plant workers and federal inspectors,” says Dankert. “It is a simple, concentrated solution that is diluted with water on-site, eliminating the need for any special mixing equipment or chemical reactions.”

The patented FreshFx formula is GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe), USDA approved, and will yield the kind of results that the marketplace is demanding to control not only Salmonella, but E. coli, Campylobacter, and Listeria in poultry processing.

The unique, non-toxic formulation of FreshFx produces an antimicrobial product that will not damage picking fingers. Treatments using oxidizers such as chlorine degrade the rubber of the fingers. FreshFx will not “gas-off” at higher temperatures as some other treatments do, and functions even in the presence of the high organic load present at this stage of processing.

“The industry’s all out effort to reduce Salmonella has led to an examination of the entire processing system to identify trouble spots, and the pickers have been identified by many as the one point in the process that introduces cross-contamination,” says John R. Dankert, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of SteriFx. “FreshFx can be easily introduced into the picking rails, and the data show that FreshFx serves not only to inhibit cross-contamination, but to reduce Salmonella incidence, even when Salmonella loads are near 100%. And, for those using FreshFx at the New York rinse, it is easy to take the used rinse and send it over the picking rails, giving a multi-point application to reduce Salmonella even further.”

To reduce Salmonella levels appropriately, it is recognized that no single-point intervention will succeed if the birds entering the plant have high numbers of Salmonella present. FreshFx solution is USDA approved as an antimicrobial processing aid, and can be used in various steps during processing. This includes pre-evisceration over the Pickers and for the New York Rinse, post-evisceration for On-Line Reprocessing (OLR), the Chiller, and for Post-Chill Sprays and Dips. Multiple antimicrobial interventions ultimately provide operating cost savings through decreased contamination, improved product quality, reduced water use, and minimized reprocessing labor.

The patented SteriFx formula is GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) and USDA approved. It is a powerful antimicrobial treatment providing an extremely cost-effective means to control Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, and Listeria outbreaks in poultry processing. It is supplied as a stable concentrated solution that is diluted on-site for application, eliminating the need for any special mixing equipment or chemical reactions.

SteriFx professionals are ready and available to provide processors with antimicrobial assistance for microbial contamination and control. FreshFx antimicrobial solution is available immediately from SteriFx®, Inc.

Processors are currently using FreshFx for on-line reprocessing and post-chill as a Salmonella intervention. The addition of C. jejuni to FreshFx’s repertoire (Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria) gives processors a better weapon to control pathogens in their plants. Further, FreshFx is being used against poultry pathogens in the scalder, New York rinse, and post-chill.

“The success of FreshFx in killing Campylobacter jejuni is important to the poultry and meat processing facilities,” said John Dankert, Ph.D., Vice President of Research and Development for SteriFx. “We are glad that we can contribute to the reduction of C. jejuni, Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli and other harmful microbes which continue to be pervasive throughout processing plants.”

Campylobacter jejuni has been recognized as one of the leading causes of diarrhea in the U.S. According to the CDC, C. jejuni affects nearly 2.4 million people, causes an estimated 58,000 illnesses and 200 deaths, and costs companies millions of dollars in recall losses in the U.S. each year. A substantial portion of the illnesses and deaths are associated with meat and poultry products.

Using FreshFx antimicrobial solution as part of a company’s HACCP efforts to control C. jejuni and other pathogens, will greatly reduce the risk of product recalls and help maintain consumer health.

FreshFx antimicrobial solution is a clear, odorless, digestible aqueous liquid that is non-toxic despite its low pH. It is easy-to-use and extremely cost-effective. FreshFx has been approved by the USDA for on-line reprocessing of poultry and as a meat and poultry processing aid and shelf-life extender. Its GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status allows for the direct use on food products as a secondary food additive.

SteriFx, experienced in many facets of pathogen control in the chicken industry, will also use its FreshFx product to significantly reduce the incidences of Salmonella and E. coli in the turkey processing market.

The move to turkey processing by SteriFx comes in response to a recent USDA initiative which announced a more enhanced focus on the turkey industry to monitor Salmonella levels in both whole turkey and ground products. The USDA is placing much more emphasis on disease prevention through comprehensive pathogen prevention/control programs, not just for chicken, but also for turkey. The USDA strategy also has been approved by the National Turkey Federation and National Chicken Council.

“Our SteriFx technology has proven to both the USDA and the EPA that it effectively kills E. coli and Salmonella,” said Dr. John Dankert, chief scientific officer for SteriFx.

“Proper points of application and method are continually found to be crucial to realizing an effective treatment program. SteriFx technology has proven with proper implementation of a total pathogen control system, single digit Salmonella testing windows can be achieved.”

“Our non-toxic antibacterial products have proven lethal for a wide range of microbes found in poultry production,” said John Dankert, Ph.D., CSO of SteriFx. “And our product is safe - so safe, in fact, that the FDA allows it to be used as a food ingredient.”

SteriFx Inc. is a specialty chemical company specializing in providing antimicrobial solutions for food safety, consumer, healthcare and defense markets. The patented formulation offers a safe and revolutionary process for pathogen control on food products, equipment, wounds and skin.

Many poultry processors have taken advantage of the powerful, USDA-approved antimicrobial treatment FreshFx provides to reduce contamination and improve product quality. Now, with EPA registration, SteriFx can offer similar benefits through its hard surface disinfectant to sanitizing crews and those in other facility cleaning markets.

John Dankert Ph.D., CSO of SteriFx pointed out the significance of this registration for the Company’s expansion into the new markets. “This will allow us to provide an environmentally responsible disinfectant product with great benefit for a number of applications, including food processing and preparation in both institutional and consumer markets.”

The SteriFx hard surface disinfectant allows for quicker cleaning due to its rapid and potent antimicrobial action. Most applications do not require subsequent rinsing and handlers need not wear special protective clothing for application. Because of its unique killing mechanism microbial resistance is unlikely, eliminating the complexity and cost associated with using multiple disinfectant products.

This innovative formulation disinfects microorganisms without the hazards associated with other disinfectant products. The non-toxic product is not irritating to skin or eyes, non-carcinogenic, non-flammable, and functions over a wide temperature range due to its low volatility.

SteriFx products can be supplied as a stable solution concentrate that can be diluted on-site for application or in ready-to-use formulations for immediate use.

SteriFx professionals are ready and available to assist customers interested in controlling microbial contamination. SteriFx hard surface disinfectant is available immediately from SteriFx, Inc.