Wetting agents for aseptic filling

• US 8,935,118 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2013
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Man, Victor Fuk-Pong, Kieffer, Janel M., Denoma, Michael C., Killeen, Yvonne M., Magnuson, Joshua P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desta, Elias
• Application Number:
  US14/018,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20140000221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• US Class Current: 702/138
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/02 containing liquids as carriers, diluents or solvents
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/30 characterised by the surfactants
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 37/02 Saturated carboxylic acids or thio analogues thereof; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 37/16 containing the group; Thio analogues thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 59/00 Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing elements or inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 55/10 by liquids or gases
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/008 Polymeric surface-active agents
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/72 Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/8255 containing a combination of compounds differently alcoxylised or with differently alkylated chains
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2068 Ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3707 Polyethers, e.g. polyalkyleneoxides
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/48 Medical, disinfecting agents, disinfecting, antibacterial, germicidal or antimicrobial compositions

Abstract

The present invention is directed to wetting agent compositions and methods for making and using the wetting agent compositions. The compositions of the invention include a sheeting agent, a defoaming agent, and an association disruption agent. The wetting agent compositions of the present invention result in a faster draining/drying time on most substrates compared to conventional wetting agents. The wetting agent compositions of the present invention are especially suitable for use on plastic substrates.

Claims

1. A method for aseptic packaging of food, beverages or pharmaceuticals comprising:

(a) contacting a package with a composition consisting essentially of a wetting agent, and an antimicrobial agent, wherein the wetting agent consists essentially of;

(i) a sheeting agent, wherein the sheeting agent comprises at least one compound having the structure represented by formula I;

R—

O—

(CH₂CH₂O)_n—

H

wherein R is a (C₁-C₁₂) alkyl group, and n is an integer in the range of 1 to 100;

(ii) a defoaming agent comprising a polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene block copolymer surfactant, wherein the weight percent ratio of sheeting agent to defoaming agent is between about 1;

5 to about 5;

1 in the composition;

(iii) an association disruption agent of an alcohol alkoxylate EO or BO surfactant, and/or a C₁₂-C₁₄ fatty alcohol EO or PO surfactant; and

(iv) an additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of a carrier, a hydrotrope, a chelating/sequestering agent, and combinations thereof;

(b) filling the package with a substance selected from the group consisting of food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and combinations thereof; and

(c) sealing the package.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of contacting comprises applying the composition to the packaging for an amount of time sufficient to reduce a microorganism population present on the package.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the composition is applied to the packaging for at least 3 seconds.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of contacting comprises applying the composition to the packaging at a temperature of between about 0°

C. and about 100°

C.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein n is an integer in the range of 15 to 30.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein n is 21.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the antimicrobial agent is selected from the group consisting of a peroxygen compound, a percarboxylic acid, a monoester of a dicarboxylic acid, a diester of a dicarboxylic acid, and mixtures thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wetting agent is present in the composition at an amount of from about 20 ppm to about 2000 ppm.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises a rinse step between the step of contacting the package with the composition, and filling the package with a substance.

10. A wetting agent composition consisting essentially of:

(a) a sheeting agent, wherein the sheeting agent comprises at least one compound having the structure represented by formula I;

R—

O—

(CH2CH₂O)_n—

H,

wherein R is a (C₁-C₁₂) alkyl group, and n is an integer in the range of 1 to 100;

(b) a defoaming agent comprising a polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene block copolymer surfactant, wherein the weight percent ratio of sheeting agent to defoaming agent is between about 1;

5 to about 5;

1 in the composition;

(c) an association disruption agent of an alcohol alkoxylate EO or BO surfactant, and/or a C₁₂-C₁₄ fatty alcohol EO or BO surfactant; and

(d) an additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of a carrier, a hydrotrope, a chelating/sequestering agent, and combinations thereof.

11. A composition consisting essentially of:

(a) a wetting agent composition consisting essentially of;

(i) a sheeting agent, wherein the sheeting agent comprises at least one compound having the structure represented by formula I;

R—

O—

(CH₂CH₂O)_n—

H, wherein R is a (C₁-C₁₂) alkyl group, and n is an integer in the range of 1 to 100;

(ii) a defoaming agent comprising a polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene block copolymer surfactant, wherein the weight percent ratio of sheeting agent to defoaming agent is between about 1;

5 to about 5;

1 in the composition;

(iii) an association disruption agent of an alcohol alkoxylate EO or BO surfactant, and/or a C₁₂-C₁₄fatty alcohol EO or BO surfactant; and

(iv) an additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of a carrier, a hydrotrope, a chelating/sequestering agent, and combinations thereof; and

(b) an antimicrobial agent.

12. A method for aseptic packaging comprising:

(a) forming an aseptic packaging use solution comprising diluting a composition to a use concentration of between about 0.01 wt % to about 10 wt %, wherein the composition consists essentially of;

(i) a wetting agent consisting essentially of;

(a) a sheeting agent, wherein the sheeting agent comprises at least one compound having the structure represented by formula I;

R—

O—

(CH₂CH₂O)_n—

H wherein R is a (C₁-C₁₂) alkyl group, and n is an integer in the range of 1 to 100;

(b) a defoaming agent comprising a polyoxypropylenepolyoxyethylene block copolymer surfactant, wherein the weight percent ratio of sheeting agent to defoaming agent is between about 1;

5 to about 5;

1 in the composition;

(c) an association disruption agent of an alcohol alkoxylate EO or BO surfactant, and/or a C₁₂-C₁₄ fatty alcohol EO or BO surfactant;

(ii) and an antimicrobial agent;

(b) contacting a package with the aseptic packaging use solution;

(c) filling the package with a substance selected from the group consisting of food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and combinations thereof; and

(d) sealing the package.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the sheeting agent is present at about 0.1 wt % to about 10 wt %.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the sheeting agent is present at about 0.2 wt% to about 5 wt %.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the defoaming agent is present at about 0.1 wt % to about 10 wt %.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the defoaming agent is present at about 0.2 wt % to about 5 wt %.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more association disruption agent is present at between about 0.1 wt % to about 25 wt %.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the disruption agent is present at between about 1 wt % to about 20 wt %.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the antimicrobial agent is selected from the group consisting of a peroxygen compound, a percarboxylic acid, a monoester of a dicarboxylic acid, a diester of a dicarboxylic acid, and mixtures thereof.