Biofilm challenge testing of SunWash self-cleaning coatings

据估计，加拿大每年有400万例食源性疾病病例，对人口健康造成不利影响，并造成直接和间接的经济损失。已经发生的许多引人注目的疫情可以追溯到病原体单独或与非病原体结合形成的生物膜。生物膜是存在于保护性基质内的微生物细胞的聚集体，其可以抵抗标准卫生方法，从而代表连续的污染源。一旦形成，生物膜就难以或几乎不可能去除，并且仍然是食品工业的一个持续问题。在拟议的项目中，基于二氧化钛涂层的新型涂层的功效可以防止或去除预先存在的致病菌和腐败菌的生物膜。二氧化钛是一种在用光或氧化剂活化时产生抗菌自由基的材料。虽然二氧化钛是一种公认的抗菌剂，但由于浸出效应，在掺入涂层中存在挑战。然而，SunWash已经开发出一系列基于二氧化钛的稳定涂层，可以应用于从不锈钢到混凝土的各种表面。然而，涂层控制食品工业中遇到的生物膜的能力和对重复卫生的稳定性尚未得到证实。这种知识差距是食品部门实施和进一步开发抗菌涂层的障碍。拟议的项目将解决现有的知识差距，并为未来的涂层开发奠定基础。

There are an estimated 4 million cases of foodborne illness cases in Canada each year leading to detrimental effects on the health of the population along with direct and indirect economic losses. Many of the high profile outbreaks that have occurred can be traced to the formation of biofilms of pathogens alone or in combination of non-pathogens. Biofilms are aggregates of microbial cells that exist within a protective matrix that can resist standard sanitation methods thereby representing a continuous source of contamination. Once formed biofilms are difficult or near impossible to remove and remains a persistent problem to the food industry. In the proposed project the efficacy of novel coatings based on titanium dioxide coatings that can both prevent or remove pre-existing biofilms of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria. Titanium dioxide is a material that generates antimicrobial radicals when activated with light or oxidizing agents. Although titanium dioxide is a well established antimicrobial agent there have been challenges in incorporating into coatings due to leaching effects. However, SunWash have developed a range of stable coatings based on titanium dioxide that can be applied to a range of surfaces encountered from stainless steel to concrete. However, the ability of coatings to control biofilms encountered in the food industry and stability to repeated sanitation have yet to be demonstrated. Such knowledge gaps represents a barrier to implementation in the food sector and further development of antimicrobial coatings. The proposed project will address existing knowledge gaps and build a foundation for future coating development.