Experienced masters know where in the food processing workshop is more important not to be ignored. These inconspicuous but headache inducing areas are the fiber depths of the tray, the cracks in the damaged tiles, and the grooves in the equipment threads.

These porous surface equipment and items are stationed everywhere in the food factory. Once a stubborn biofilm forms on the surface, conventional flushing has no practical effect at all. At this moment, immediately thinking of chlorine dioxide, the answer is naturally obvious, truly praising your excellent disinfection experience. That simple chemical agent can really disinfection and sterilization those corners and even inaccessible corners? Scientific Q&A, please continue to look down, with details of disinfection and sterilization operation.

1、 The superpower of chlorine dioxide: it is a gas and also a wall penetrating hero

So, what's special about this chlorine dioxide contestant? It has two unique skills:

Firstly, it is a gas. This is not an ordinary disinfectant soaked in water. Chlorine dioxide remains stable with gas properties even after dissolving in water, which means it has strong diffusion and penetration capabilities. Just like perfume can drill into every corner of the room, chlorine dioxide swims between the water flows with the flexibility of small molecules, which will lead to the gaps.

Secondly, it can dissolve the walls of biofilms. Research has shown that chlorine dioxide can not only penetrate the mucous layer of biofilms, but also disrupt their structure. This is like it not only burrowed into the fortress, but also drilled a hole in the city wall to expose the bacteria inside.

2、 Ideal is full, reality is tough: the three major difficulties hidden in the cracks

Although chlorine dioxide has the ability to penetrate walls, it will also encounter Waterloo in the complex battlefield of food factories.

Challenge 1: The materials are against you

Wooden pallets are a typical high-risk area. The surface of wood has a large number of pores and natural organic compounds (such as phenolic hydroxyl groups in lignin). Chlorine dioxide is a highly oxidizing and irritable substance that will fight all the way when drilling in - reacting with the organic matter in the wood itself.

The result is that before it could penetrate to the deepest biofilm, the active ingredients were sacrificed halfway. Research data shows that wooden surfaces can reduce the effective utilization rate of chlorine dioxide by 17%. Similarly, the dirt in the gaps of damaged tiles will also consume a large amount of disinfectant, making it impossible for ammunition to reach the front line.

Challenge 2: Thickness of Biofilm

Biofilm itself also has thickness. Scientists have measured using microelectrodes that when the thickness of a biofilm exceeds 100 microns and treated with a certain concentration of chlorine dioxide, depletion occurs in deep layers. That is to say, if the biofilm in the gap is too thick, the ability of chlorine dioxide to win depends solely on the quantity, which cannot be easily solved by adding it casually.

Difficulty Three: Thread Pitch

This is a very interesting detail. Do not use metal objects to store chlorine dioxide, as this incorrect use will inevitably lead to the problem of the lid not opening after a period of time. Because chlorine dioxide evaporates into the threads and reacts with something to crystallize, blocking the gaps.

What does this reverse indicate? Chlorine dioxide can indeed penetrate deep into threads. But in practical applications, if protein or oil accumulates at the thread, these things will wrap around bacteria like a protective cover. Attention: Chlorine dioxide should not be subjected to excessive pressure, as it cannot completely consume organic matter in areas with dense biofilm accumulation.

3、 So, what exactly is the answer? What should we do?

Returning to the question: Can chlorine dioxide penetrate gaps and kill hidden bacterial biofilms?

The answer is: yes, but with conditions. It is not a universal key, but a divine assist.

If we expect to kill all the bacteria in the aged dirt by simply increasing the concentration of chlorine dioxide, we are likely to be disappointed. To make chlorine dioxide shine in the cracks, you need to learn these tricks:

1. Cleaning is 1, disinfection is 0

The core technique is to clean first, then disinfect! Chlorine dioxide is a single soldier combat, and a large amount of organic matter (oil stains, food residues) in the crevices will quickly consume it. Only by washing and rinsing with alkali can the dirty things be removed before chlorine dioxide can be lightly loaded and enter for sterilization.

2. Give chlorine dioxide some time

The penetration reaction of chlorine dioxide requires time to complete. So it is necessary to specifically extend the contact time of the disinfectant in the concentrated area of its biofilm, and even use a cyclic soaking method to allow enough time for chlorine dioxide disinfectant to penetrate.

3. Compound attack

For porous materials such as wooden pallets, it is difficult to cure them solely through chemical disinfection. Conventional cleaning mode - one is to regularly soak and scald with hot water, and the other is to use ultrasonic assisted cleaning. This method prioritizes physical methods, which can first reduce a certain amount of bacteria in the gaps, and then add chlorine dioxide to sweep them away.

4. Gentle at the thread

Be careful not to forget those places with threads and sealing rings, of course, they need to be disassembled and cleaned until the threads are intact. Don't fantasize about using a flowing disinfectant to instantly clean the dirt deep inside the threads. Regularly disassembling, cleaning, and replacing is better than anything else.

The next time you face seemingly inconspicuous cracks and threads, perhaps you will be more vigilant and have more confidence to deal with them.