Anyone using Per Acetic Acid as Sanitiser - Please share experience

Hi,
Just got introduced to per acetic acid to be used as sanitiser.
We have using Chlorine in difefrent concentration.

Anybody using peracetic acid already. Appreciate if you can share the experience.

Thanks

Warm Regards

Gourav

The big benefit to peracetic acid is as the PP said, it reacts to form acetic acid (constituent of vinegar) so there isn't that much of a risk to product apart from a small taint risk.

One thing to be very careful of though is if you have any chlorine containing chemicals on site e.g. hypochlorite tablets in drains as you may then end up with chlorine gas and dead employees. Not good.

I think I might have used it in one site as a fogging agent but I didn't manage the process, sorry!

Peracetic acid has been used for many years in the Dairy and Beverage industries because of its beneficial properties. Since it breaks down in to relatively harmless substances over a short time it can be ideal for Cleaning in Place (CIP) systems as a final stage sanitizer.

From my experience, lines and machines can be purged with the chemical and left overnight. Something that can't be done with chlorine based chemicals which are more corrosive and cause damage to rubber seals etc. It can then be rinsed through with cold water before starting production. This has significant benefits for productivity and quality control and can often out-weigh the high cost of the chemical.

Another common application for peracetic acid is in the pre-rinsing of various containers (e.g. PET) prior to filling and packing. It can be added to the water used for rinsing containers at the jet wash stage before entering the filling and packing stage. Again depending on the product, the application will not impact on the product while reducing any microbial load within the container.

As mentioned in previous posts make sure you review your COSHH data and OHS risk assessment before using it. If your chemical supplier is good they will work with you on this and confirm the chemical is suitable and approved for your business and the intended use of the chemical.

Hi Gourav,

I am very familiar with Peracetic acid (PAA) in the fruit and vegetable processing industry. Ecolab are very good at providing this product as Tsunami 100 0r 200 and I am sure you will have a representative of Ecolab in your country to give you more information. you can look up Tsunami 100 on Google and you will get plenty of information. In the fruit and vegetable industry you use it at 60 - 80 ppm for a non rinse application and above 80 ppm you will need a potable rinse.


As GMO rightly points out that you must store all chlorinated cleaning agents away from peracetic acid as it reacts to give off Chlorine gas.



Please be ware that Peractic acid is also a corrosive substance. Tsunami 100 is comprised of other chemicals including Hydrogen Peroxide and Peroxyactic acid as well. Sometimes if you use it to sanitise onions then the natural sulphites in onions will neutralise the acidic component and the peroxide is the biocide which will still be active so you may have to monitor the peroxide by titration or test strips.


If you are not aware of COSHH it is a chemical risk that is being assesses in UK (including ireland). Other countries may have something similar.

Dear All,

I hv no direct experience on peracetic acid so i can only offer hearsay.

From my own experience, handling 10% Na hypochlorite solution is a very unpleasant job due to the fumes and corrosive capabilities (eg it will transform blue trousers to purple instantaneously ). Ca hypochlorite powder approx 70% is arguably even worse due particularly to conc.level / skin corrosiveness / airborne fume characteristics / fire-generative properties.

Both should be handled exclusively in a separate, designated, well-ventilated area and by appropriately trained personnel. Unfortunately these requirements are frequently by-passed IMEX.

I previously enquired to a supplier regarding peracetic acid and was informed that handling was more difficult than above items. End of story in my case.

Of course, a specific process may necessitate specific requirements but i suspect that in general Na hypochlorite is probably still the No.1 used item (obviously cost is also a related factor, rightly or wrongly).
(I daresay users of CIP systems will hv different opinions to above ?)

Rgds / Charles.C

Just a footnote really. PAA shouldn't be used as a sanitiser as it doesn't perform any detergent action. So using PAA on or in a soiled area will have little effect.

Peracetic should be used as a terminal steriliant to reduce microbial loading after a detergent cycle of say Sodium Hydroxide to remove dirt.

dear memebrs,

recently one of the PAA supplier came and given all the product details and had given fogging demonstration.
like charles said, sodium hypochloride is very effective and less priced sanitizing agent when compred to PAA and chlorine dioxide.
my aim is to use PAA in final rince or mix in chilling water. also fumigating dry food handling area including microbioloigal lab.
the supplier came and had given fooging demonstration in dry room with 0.2% PAA solution. he had told us that peopel can stand in front of fogg and it is saff.
but not much difference in TPC after fogging. even table rincing with 2% PAA had not given much difference in TPC.

now i had asked them to send some sample for my validaiton study purpose.
i can post my experience, after my study.


regards/bala

Hi Gourav,

I have been Paracetic acid for atleast the last 6 months as a terminal sanitizer. The catch has been that at temperature >40C, it dissociates and therefore its efficacy is reduced.

I can attest to the fact that if well used in cold sterilization and other cleaning and fumigation processes.

I hope it helps.

Agwanda

We have been using Paracetic acid for almost 2 years and it works great. We test with ATP after and get very low reading.

Out plant is a powder/dry plant but we also process meat and the paracetic acid is used in our meat processing equipment with a high success rate.

SpiceGenius.

We have been using PAA in a fog tunnel for tomatoes. Moreover, we had around 200 ppm and that concentration worked fine. I think it's great for produce as alternative for chlorine wash

Dear mikysya,

Thks for the comment but it would be nice if "works fine" had some quantitative validation as well. (eg APC levels in/out, Salmonella / E.coli O157 etc)

Rgds / Charles.C

I agree with you Charles. Not a lot of information in 'works fine'. The issues with peroxyacetic are the chance of free chlorine and worker safety and limited efficacy (my natural antimicrobial used as a spray or dip drops the microbial load 7-log which is a safety margin over the population found on food). PA might decay to acetic acid and water and who needs the acid around food but before it does it is pretty noxious for workers and hard on equipment.

As a food sanitizer, Herbal-Active is effective, pleasant to use and doesn't need to be rinsed off. It won't corrode equipment nor present a problem if combined with hyper-chlorinated water along the process. Strength can be monitored with a refractometer and no resistance can be acquired by target organisms.

Why wouldn't you go natural?

Dear VicCherikoff,

Thks for the comments.

Regarding the last paragraphs, have to repeat my previous post - "Quantitative validation".

Plus meaningful approval for food systems of course, ie in addition to "natural".

Rgds / Charles.C

We have been using per-acetic actid but the odour of per acetic acid is somewhat unacceptable...... there is a type of vinegar smell coming after sanitizing, so if anyone have idea to solve the odour problem, that is more appreciating

Regards

BS

bsv,

            The strong odor you are experincing, might be the concentration level might be to high.... At my dairy facility we are currently at 2240ppm ( Vortexx- eco lab) The acceptable range is 1300-2600ppm. anything higher might produce a odor plus it would need to be rinsed if on equipment....

 

Hope this helps