Superheated Steam Can Rapidly Inactivate Bacteria, But Manual Operation of Commercial Units Resulted in Limited Efficacy During Dry Surface Sanitization

• Published in: Journal of food protection Vol. 88; no. 3; p. 100461
• Main Authors: Baker, Jakob, Rana, Yadwinder Singh, Chen, Long, Beary, Maria Amalia, Balasubramaniam, V.M., Snyder, Abigail B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 26.02.2025; Elsevier
• Subjects: ambient temperature; Colony Count, Microbial; Dry sanitation; Enterococcus faecium; Enterococcus faecium - growth & development; Equipment Contamination; equipment design; Food contact surface; Food Microbiology; food safety; geometry; heat inactivation; Hot Temperature; Humans; sanitation; Stainless Steel; Steam; Thermal inactivation; Dry sanitation; Thermal inactivation; Food contact surface

•Temperature decreases >4.5 cm from the impingement limit the radius for sanitation.•Short exposure (10 s) led to high kill (9.6 log) at the impingement point.•Training and experience with a unit significantly increased microbial inactivation.•With training and experience, the highest reduction w...