Two solvent antimicrobial compositions and methods employing them

Abstract

The present invention relates to two solvent antimicrobial compositions and methods employing these two solvent compositions. The two solvent compositions typically contain a second solvent that is not or is only sparingly soluble in a diluting solvent. The two solvent composition can form a clear single-phase solution. The two solvent antimicrobial compositions can reduce the population of microbes on various surfaces such as facilities, containers, or equipment found in food, beverage, or pharmaceutical industries at temperatures between about −70° C. to about 100° C.

1 . A method for antimicrobial treatment comprising applying to microbes two solvent antimicrobial composition; 
 the two solvent antimicrobial composition comprising diluting solvent, antimicrobial solvent, and antimicrobial agent;    wherein the composition provides greater than a 1-log order reduction in population of spores or bacteria of  Bacillus cereus  within 10 seconds at 60° C.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the diluting solvent comprises water.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises halogen containing antimicrobial agent, peroxycarboxylic acid, organic acidifying agent, or mixture thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the halogen containing antimicrobial agent comprises hypochlorous acid, hypochlorous acid salt, chlorine dioxide, hypobromous acid, hypobromous acid salt, or interhalide.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the interhalide comprises iodine monochloride, iodine dichloride, iodine trichloride, iodine tetrachloride, bromine chloride, iodine monobromide, iodine dibromide, or mixture thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the peroxycarboxylic acid comprises peroxyacetic acid, peroxyformic acid, peroxyoctanoic acid, ester peroxycarboxylic acid, salt thereof, or mixture thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the organic acidifying agent comprises aliphatic carboxylic acid, aromatic carboxylic acid, or mixture thereof.  
     
     
         8 - 20 . (canceled)  
     
     
         21 . An antimicrobial concentrate and instructions for mixing the concentrate with water, 
 wherein the concentrate comprises antimicrobial solvent and antimicrobial agent,    the amounts of antimicrobial solvent and antimicrobial agent in the concentrate being sufficient so that when the concentrate is mixed with water according to the instructions the resulting mixture will provide greater than a 1-log order reduction in population of bacteria or spores of  Bacillus cereus  within 10 seconds at 60° C.    
     
     
         22 . The concentrate of  claim 21 , wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises halogen containing antimicrobial agent, peroxycarboxylic acid, organic acidifying agent, or mixture thereof.  
     
     
         23 . The concentrate of  claim 22 , wherein the halogen containing antimicrobial agent comprises hypochlorous acid, hypochlorous acid salt, chlorine dioxide, hypobromous acid, hypobromous acid salt, or interhalide.  
     
     
         24 . The concentrate of  claim 23 , wherein the interhalide comprises iodine monochloride, iodine dichloride, iodine trichloride, iodine tetrachloride, bromine chloride, iodine monobromide, iodine dibromide, or mixture thereof.  
     
     
         25 . The concentrate of  claim 22 , wherein the peroxycarboxylic acid comprises peroxyacetic acid, peroxyformic acid, peroxyoctanoic acid, ester peroxycarboxylic acid, salt thereof, or mixture thereof.  
     
     
         26 . The concentrate of  claim 22 , wherein the organic acidifying agent comprises aliphatic carboxylic acid, aromatic carboxylic acid, or mixture thereof.  
     
     
         27 - 31 . (canceled)  
     
     
         32 . An antimicrobial composition comprising diluting solvent, antimicrobial solvent, and antimicrobial agent, 
 wherein the composition provides greater than a 1-log order reduction in the population of bacteria of  Bacillus cereus  within 10 seconds at 60° C.    
     
     
         33 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein the diluting solvent comprises water.  
     
     
         34 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises halogen containing antimicrobial agent, peroxycarboxylic acid, organic acidifying agent, or mixture thereof.  
     
     
         35 . The composition of  claim 34 , wherein the halogen containing antimicrobial agent comprises hypochlorous acid, hypochlorous acid salt, chlorine dioxide, hypobromous acid, hypobromous acid salt, or interhalide.  
     
     
         36 . The composition of  claim 35 , wherein the interhalide comprises iodine monochloride, iodine dichloride, iodine trichloride, iodine tetrachloride, bromine chloride, iodine monobromide, iodine dibromide, or mixture thereof.  
     
     
         37 . The composition of  claim 34 , wherein the peroxycarboxylic acid comprises peroxyacetic acid, peroxyformic acid, peroxyoctanoic acid, ester peroxycarboxylic acid, salt thereof, or mixture thereof.  
     
     
         38 . The composition of  claim 34 , wherein the organic acidifying agent comprises aliphatic carboxylic acid, aromatic carboxylic acid, or mixture thereof.  
     
     
         39 - 49 . (canceled)