Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SymbiCoat (A breakthrough in rechargeable N-Halamine technology for unparalled antimicrobial efficacy on hard surfaces)

Teaser

Food faces many problems including pathogenic contamination, low performance of biocides (used as disinfectant/preservative), toxicity and safety, and sustainable production. Food contamination is both a public health and economic issue. The average cost of a recall to a food...

Summary

Food faces many problems including pathogenic contamination, low performance of biocides (used as disinfectant/preservative), toxicity and safety, and sustainable production. Food contamination is both a public health and economic issue. The average cost of a recall to a food company is €10M in direct costs, in addition to brand damage and lost sales. Health care cost and other societal cost related to food borne illnesses caused by microbial contamination of food can be a multiple of that. Leaching of biocides is a health and environmental issue. Most antimicrobial technologies have to physically migrate to the microbial cell in order to be effective. Thus, the active ingredient leaches into groundwater, heavily affecting the health of humans and wildlife.

The objective of the Phase 2 project is to commercialise Exigence technologies\' non-leaching chlorine binding coating coating technology which can prevent pathogens from surviving on food processing surfaces, and can also prevent the formation of dangerous biofilms.

Work performed

During the period covered by the report, Exigence completed a number of deliverables outlined in the proposal. At the beginning of the project, Exigence set up a project webpage describing the objectives of the SymbiCoat Phase 2 project. The company produced specifications for the Minimum Viable Product - Symbicoat as a coating system for food applications. Exigence also selected the polymers to serve as a baseline for formulation development. The workflow and timetable for the product development plan was prepared. The necessary materials according to resin system requirements were also ordered. The final activity completed during the first reporting period was the preparation of a list of the necessary analytical techniques and required instruments/facilities.

Final results

SymbiCoatâ„¢ chemistries modify existing coating materials (vinyls, epoxies, polyurethanes and others) through a method that does not contain a disinfecting chemical or active ingredient. Instead, SymbiCoatâ„¢ technology provides surfaces with the regenerable capability to rapidly bind or scavenge the ECHA (European Chemical Agency)-registered sodium hypochlorite onto the coating. Sodium hypochlorite is one of the most widely used, cost-effective and well understood disinfectant chemicals available globally. Exigence SymbiCoatâ„¢ allows the sodium hypochlorite to provide a much longer period of action than would otherwise be possible with the liquid alone, even at levels that are safe for food contact.

Exigence’s product opens “blue ocean” opportunities in the food processing market, where no previous generation of antimicrobial coatings has the technical capability to address the major sanitation problems. SymbiCoat excels in kill rates, rechargeability, minimal ecotoxicity, low corrosivity and rapid application. Furthermore, SymbiCoat does not induce microbial resistance and is therefore best suited for food processing applications where antibiotic-resistant pathogens are a strong concern.

Website & more info

More info: http://exigencetechnologies.com.