Ecolab Inc. has been named a 2009 recipient of the IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for the development of the first and presently only peroxyacetic acid-based commercial sterilant system registered with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use against the highly resistant pathogen, Bacillus cereus. The program is part of Ecolab's ongoing commitment to partnering with its customers to help them deliver food safely to consumers.
Presented to Ecolab by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) at its Annual Meeting & Food Expo on June 7, the award is designed to honor outstanding innovation in products, ingredients, applications, instruments, equipment, technology and services.
Ecolab's patented program of Enviro San and ES-1000 products allows for effective antimicrobial sterilization with lower concentrations of peroxyacetic acid. The dual product system is designed for use in aseptic packaging of low acid beverages in plastic packaging materials, such as Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) bottling applications. In the U.S., it is commercially used on high speed, rotary fillers for low acid, aseptically packed beverages in recyclable containers.
Judges from industry, academia and government with expertise in ingredients, product development, processing and packaging technology, microbiology, and food safety reviewed all IFT award entries. Judging criteria included: degree of innovation; solves a problem relevant to food science and technology; technical advancement; benefits to food manufacturers; benefit to consumers; and scientific merit.