Peracetic Acid Vapor Sterilization of Food and Beverage Containers

• US 20120189494A1
• Filed: 01/18/2012
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evonik Operations GmbH (Rag-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: FMC Corporation
• Inventors: Lymburner, Charles J., Abraham, Shibu, Rovison, John M. Jr., Thompson, Angela
• Granted Patent: US 8,454,890 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/20 Gaseous substances, e.g. vapours
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/23 Containers, e.g. vials, bottles, syringes, mail

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of sterilizing a surface comprising treating such surface with a vapor comprising peracetic acid at a concentration of at least about 3500 ppm at between about 57° and about 75° C. Such method is preferably conducted in the absence of a hydrogen peroxide initiator, and is particularly suitable for the sterilization of polyethylene terephthalate bottles.

Claims

1. A method of sterilizing a surface comprising treating such surface with a vapor comprising peracetic acid at a concentration of at least about 3500 ppm at between about 57°

and about 75°

C.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said surface is composed of plastic.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said surface is polyethylene terephthalate.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein such treatment is conducted in the absence of a hydrogen peroxide initiator.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the concentration of peracetic acid is at least about 3750 ppm.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the concentration of peracetic acid is between about 3750 and about 10,000 ppm.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the concentration of peracetic acid is between about 3750 and about 4250 ppm.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the vapor is less than 100% saturated.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the saturation of the vapor is less than about 85%.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the saturation of the vapor is between about 75% and about 85%.