Novel hyperthermoacidic archaeal enzymes for removal of thermophilic biofilms from stainless steel

AIMS: To test the efficacy of novel hot/acid hyperthermoacidic enzyme treatments on the removal of thermophilic spore-forming biofilms from stainless steel surfaces. METHODS AND RESULTS: The present study measured the efficacy of hyperthermoacidic enzymes (protease, amylase, and endoglucanase) that are optimally active at low pH (≈3.0) and high temperatures (≈80°C) at removing thermophilic bacilli biofilms from stainless steel (SS) surfaces. Plate counts, spore counts, impedance microbiology, as well as epifluorescence microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to evaluate the cleaning and sanitation of biofilms grown in a continuous flow biofilm reactor. Previously unavailable hyperthermoacidic amylase, protease, and the combination of amylase and protease were tested on Anoxybacillus flavithermus and Bacillus licheniformis, and endoglucanase was tested on Geobacillus stearothermophilus. In all cases, the heated acidic enzymatic treatments significantly reduced biofilm cells and their sheltering extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). CONCLUSIONS: Hyperthermoacidic enzymes and the associated heated acid conditions are effective at removing biofilms of thermophilic bacteria from SS surfaces that contaminate dairy plants.

Keywords

Anoxybacillus flavithermus, Bacillus licheniforms, Geobacillus stearothermophilus, HTA-enzymes, amylase, archaea, cleaning, dairy, endoglucanase, protease, spores, Animals, Stainless Steel, Milk, Archaea, Cellulase, Biofilms, Peptide Hydrolases

Citation

Nam Y, Barnebey A, Kim HK, Yannone SM, Flint S. (2023). Novel hyperthermoacidic archaeal enzymes for removal of thermophilic biofilms from stainless steel.. J Appl Microbiol. 134. 6. (pp. lxad106-).

URI

https://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/71563

Collections

Journal Articles

Full item page