SteriFx Announces a New On-Line Reprocessing Antimicrobial Solution, FreshFx L-12

22/10/07 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.