Biofilm in Food and Beverage Processing and Manufacturing

Biofilms are a well-known nuisance in the food and beverage processing and manufacturing industries: they are difficult to identify, can be difficult to remove and cause a variety of problems ranging from equipment failures and product spoilage to harboring dangerous pathogenic bacterias such as Listeria. Wherever there is water and a source of nutrient, even if very small, then there is an opportunity for biofilms to develop. As such, it is an issue that persists in our industry.

With this eBook, we hope to provide you with a greater understanding of what biofilm is and how to keep it under control.

Contents

1. What is and what is not Biofilm?
2. Risks Associated with Biofilm
   • Food Safety
   • Operating Efficiency
   • Biofilm Resistance to Antimicrobial Agents
3. Biofilm and Listeria
4. Quorum Sensing
5. Biofilm Formation
6. Controlling, Identifying and Removing Biofilm
   • Hygienic Design
   • Cleaning and Disinfection/Sanitation
   • Monitoring and Identification
   • Eliminating Biofilm from CIP Systems
   • Eliminating Biofilm from Open Surfaces