AvidBiotics and Ecolab to collaborate on cutting contamination in food
AvidBiotics of San Francisco, California and Ecolab of St Paul, Minnesota are to join forces to develop a new technology to reduce the presence of E.coli in red meat. The companies aim to commercialise AvidBiotics' protein-based antibacterial technology, which can be targeted against specific bacterial pathogens. They say this approach could result in a non-chemical and non-toxic food processing aid.
Ecolab is a leading supplier of cleaning, sanitising, food safety and infection control products and services.
AvidBiotics says the collaboration could yield a versatile food processing aid that is non-chemical and non-toxic. While this technology may be applicable to numerous food pathogens, E.coli will be the initial target.
AvidBiotics’ technology uses R-type pyocins, called Avidocin proteins, that kill specific bacteria by attacking their exposed surface molecules. Timothy Mulhere, Ecolab’s senior vice president and general manager, Food & Beverage North America, said: “Ecolab is committed to helping customers reduce their food safety risks, offering multiple interventions to help ensure a safer global food supply. “We will work with AvidBiotics to develop this technology further and determine its efficacy and viability in the marketplace. Early testing of this new technology indicates the potential to reduce E. coli O157:H7 levels significantly better than current solutions.”
According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US, more than 70,000 people are infected with E. coli O157:H7 each year in the US, resulting in around 60 deaths.
Contact www.avidbiotics.com www.ecolab.com
