Naturally-derived surface sanitizer and disinfectant

Abstract

Food processing equipment, food contact surfaces, and non-food contact surfaces are sanitized or disinfected using an acid-anionic surfactant solution has efficacy in hand water, in non-corrosive, and is stable at elevated temperatures. The sanitizing/disinfecting solution is prepared as a highly concentrated liquid and diluted to end use concentrations prior to application to food processing equipment or food or non-food contact surfaces. Efficacy in hard water is important for sanitizers and disinfectants that are diluted by the end user using potentially hard water. Stability at elevated temperatures is important for long-term storage and transportation. The diluted sanitizing/disinfecting solution exhibits strong antimicrobial activity against gram positive and gram negative bacteria even when diluted in hard water. The sanitizing/disinfecting solution exhibits low toxicity to humans and the environment since it is prepared from low toxicity ingredients that are readily biodegradable.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition comprising
 a natural first organic acid at a concentration of about 10% to about 40% by weight selected from the group consisting of citric acid, fumaric acid, humic acid, acetic acid, ascorbic acid, or a combination thereof;   a monocarboxylic fatty acid at a concentration of about 0.1% to about 5% by weight selected from the group consisting of caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, or a combination thereof;   a sulfated fatty acid at a concentration of at least 5% weight;   an alcohol at a concentration of about 1% to about 20% by weight selected from the group consisting of ethanol, isopropanol, or a combination thereof; and   water at a concentration of at least 10% by weight.   
     
     
         11 . The sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of  claim 10 , wherein the sulfated fatty acid comprises a C 6 -C 18  alkyl sulfate. 
     
     
         12 . The sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of  claim 10 , wherein the sulfated fatty acid comprises a C 8 -C 14  alkyl sulfate. 
     
     
         13 . The sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of  claim 10 , wherein the sulfated fatty acid comprises a sulfated monocarboxylic fatty acid. 
     
     
         14 . The sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of  claim 13 , wherein the sulfated monocarboxylic fatty acid comprises a C 6 -C 18  saturated or unsaturated monocarboxylic fatty acid. 
     
     
         15 . The sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of  claim 14 , wherein the C 6 -C 18  saturated or unsaturated monocarboxylic fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, gamma-linolenic acid, hexadecatrienoic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, pinolonic, acid, stearidonic acid, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of  claim 14 , wherein the C 6 -C 18  saturated or unsaturated monocarboxylic fatty acid is lauric acid. 
     
     
         17 . The sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of  claim 10 , wherein the concentrate composition lacks a chlorinated or halogenated compound. 
     
     
         18 . The sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of  claim 10 , further comprising carbonate, bicarbonate, or both carbonate and bicarbonate. 
     
     
         19 . The sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of  claim 10 , further comprising an essential oil. 
     
     
         20 . The sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of  claim 10 , further comprising a pH buffer. 
     
     
         21 . The sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of  claim 10 , wherein the natural first organic acid is citric acid. 
     
     
         22 . The sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of  claim 10 , wherein the monocarboxylic fatty acid is capric acid. 
     
     
         23 . The sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of  claim 10 , wherein the alcohol is isopropanol. 
     
     
         24 . The sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of  claim 10 , wherein the natural first organic acid is at a concentration of about 21% to about 30% by weight. 
     
     
         25 . The sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of  claim 10 , wherein the sulfated fatty acid is at a concentration of 5% to about 30 % by weight. 
     
     
         26 . The sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of  claim 10 , wherein the alcohol is at a concentration of about 2% to about 10% by weight. 
     
     
         27 . A sanitizing and disinfecting solution composition comprising the sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition of claim  1  and dilution water, wherein the sanitizing and disinfecting concentrate composition is diluted in the dilution water at a ratio of from 1:9 to 1:127.