JPH0662378B2 - Ozone-adsorbing microbial control material and microbial control method - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an ozone-adsorbing microbial control material and a microbial control method. More specifically, the present invention sterilizes microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, or an ozone-adsorbing microorganism inhibiting material useful for inhibiting the growth thereof,
Also, the present invention relates to a method for inhibiting microorganisms.

[Conventional technology]

Human beings, who are members of the ecosystem, are always surrounded by microorganisms and have a close relationship with them, whether they are good or bad. For example, in the field of food,
On the one hand, various foods are manufactured and processed using useful microorganisms, but on the other hand, harmful microorganisms such as bacteria and molds often cause food spoilage and poisoning. is doing. It is also known that, even in precision instruments and the like, mold adheres to and proliferates therein, and significantly inhibits its function.

The above-mentioned problems in the food field are known to cause bacteria and mold to be taken in from raw materials, or to be secondary contaminated in the manufacturing or processing steps, in order to prevent such adverse effects of microorganisms. In each step, a disinfectant, a sterilizer, or the like is used to take measures to reduce the amount of microorganisms contained in the food material and its environment. However, many disinfectants or bactericides are themselves harmful or toxic to the human body, and therefore, there are limits and restrictions on the amount used, and strict limits on the content in the final product. Therefore, the types of disinfectants or bactericides that can be used in the food field are very limited.

Further, the packaging material often comes into direct contact with the material to be packaged, and microorganisms adhering to the inner surface of the packaging material may secondarily contaminate the material to be packaged and adversely affect it.
In order to prevent these problems, the packaging material may be previously sterilized and sterilized, but it is sometimes preferable to simultaneously sterilize both the packaging material and the material to be packaged after packaging. However, the disinfectant or the disinfectant capable of sterilizing both of them at the same time, or the method thereof is extremely limited.

Further, it is known that vacuum packaging or gas filling packaging is effective as a microorganism-suppressing packaging method. However, in the case of vacuum packaging, it is difficult to suppress anaerobic bacteria that grow in the absence of oxygen, and in the case of gas-filled packaging, the gas to be filled depending on the type of packaging material and material to be packaged. There is a problem that it is difficult to select appropriately, and few of these gases have an effect of actively inhibiting microorganisms.

In the field of precision equipment, with the miniaturization of parts,
In particular, with the increasing use of printed wiring boards and the like, the harmful effects of microorganisms, which have not been a serious problem in the past, have become remarkable. In particular, when mold is generated on the wiring board or the like, the mycelium of mold contains about 90% of water and a large amount of electrolyte substance, and thus acts as a good conductor for electric current. For this reason, if the mold mycelia grows on the part, the part immediately becomes defective in insulation and its electrical characteristics deteriorate. Not only that, but the parts such as a wiring board where mold has once propagated have a problem in that even if the parts are sufficiently dried and mold is removed, the electrical characteristics of the parts do not return to their original state.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

The present invention, for example, in the food field, the food itself and its packaging material, at any stage, can be sterilized to suppress the growth of microorganisms, and,
An object is to provide an ozone-adsorbing microbial control material that does not remain in foods and packaging materials, and a microbial control method using the same.

Further, the present invention, for example, in the field of precision equipment,
Precision equipment and its parts, and their packaging materials,
(EN) It is intended to provide an ozone-adsorbing microorganisms-suppressing material that can be disinfected and sterilized without wetting and can prevent the growth of mold and the like, and a microorganisms-suppressing method using the same.

[Means and actions for solving the problem]

The ozone-adsorbing microorganisms-suppressing material of the present invention comprises a base material composed of at least one gas adsorbent, and at least one selected from ozone and active oxygen-containing ozone decomposed products which are adsorbed and held on the base material. And a microbial inhibitor comprising the same.

Further, the method for inhibiting microorganisms of the present invention is characterized in that the ozone-adsorbing microorganism inhibiting material is substantially hermetically packaged together with the material to be packaged by a packaging material that is substantially impermeable to gas.

The ozone-adsorbing microorganisms-suppressing material according to the present invention is capable of disinfecting and sterilizing the packaging material and the packaging material for a long period of time when the packaging material and the packaging material are substantially hermetically packaged together with the packaging material. However, it has extremely excellent properties in practical use that it does not remain in these materials and does not adversely affect them.

The substrate used in the present invention comprises at least one adsorbent. There is no particular limitation on the type of adsorbent as long as it is effective for achieving the object of the present invention, but in general, activated alumina, zeolite, and silica gel can be used. The preferred adsorbent according to the present invention is silica gel.

The microbial inhibitor used in the present invention is composed of ozone and at least one member selected from active oxygen-containing ozone decomposed products.

In the ozone-adsorbing microorganism inhibiting material of the present invention, the adsorbent base material is adsorbed and held by the specific microorganism inhibiting agent as described above, but during its use, ozone is gradually removed from the adsorbent base material, or decomposition thereof. Active oxygen is released as a product, and the required sterilizing / disinfecting action and microbial growth inhibiting action can be applied to the inner surface of the packaging material and the material to be packaged, and the released ozone or active oxygen is used as a desired sterilizing / disinfecting action. After being applied, it becomes a normal oxygen molecule, so that it does not adversely affect the material to be packaged.

In general, ozone adsorbed on activated alumina or zeolite is unstable at room temperature, and it is said that the adsorption rate of ozone and its decomposition rate are about the same. However, at a low temperature of 5 ° C. or lower, preferably 0 ° C. or lower, the decomposition of ozone on activated alumina or zeolite is extremely small and becomes almost negligible. Therefore, under such conditions, activated alumina or zeolite can sufficiently adsorb and retain ozone or its decomposition products and gradually release it.

When silica gel is used as the adsorbent, the obtained substrate adsorbs and holds 0.09% to 6.0% of ozone with respect to the weight thereof at 5 ° C. or lower, preferably 0 ° C. or lower,
It can be released gradually.

In order to adsorb the microorganism inhibitor to the adsorbent substrate, the substrate previously contained in the closed packaging material or the container is brought into contact with the microorganism inhibitor (ozone) and adsorbed. At this time, the temperature and pressure may be generally room temperature and atmospheric pressure, but generally, the adsorbent base material is once subjected to a depressurization treatment and the adsorbed gas is desorbed, and then this is kept at a low temperature. It is preferable to contact with a microorganism inhibitor (ozone) gas. At this time, when the microorganism inhibitor (ozone) gas is brought into contact with the adsorbent substrate under pressure, the adsorption amount increases.

In the method for controlling microorganisms of the present invention, the ozone-adsorbing microorganisms-suppressing material, together with the material to be packaged, such as food, or precision equipment, or parts thereof, is substantially impermeable to gas, and particularly impermeable to ozone or active oxygen. The packaging material makes the package almost sealed. At this time, the ozone-adsorbing microorganisms-suppressing material of the present invention may be housed in a breathable container (bag, tube, bottle, etc.), if necessary.
By doing so, the ozone-adsorbing microorganisms-suppressing material can release the required ozone or active oxygen into the package through the air-permeable container without being mixed with the material to be packaged. Such an air permeable container may be formed of a non-air permeable material and has minute air vents which do not allow permeation of the ozone adsorbing microorganism inhibiting material, or a gas permeable material such as, for example, It may be formed of breathable paper or breathable cloth.

In the above-mentioned package, the packaging material is made of a material that does not substantially permeate gas, particularly ozone and active oxygen, and when ozone or active oxygen is released from the ozone-adsorbing microbial suppression material, these are It can be retained in the package without being allowed to escape, and its effect can be sufficiently exerted.

As the packaging material used in the method of the present invention, materials satisfying the above gas non-permeation requirements, for example, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polyamide, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and other synthetic resins. Films, sheets, tubes, bags, cans, bottles or the like; metal materials such as metal foils,
Alternatively, a tube, a bag, a can, or the like made of a metal sheet; a container made of a ceramic material, ceramics, wood, or the like; and a paper and a cloth material laminated with a gas impermeable coating can be used. There is no particular limitation on the shape or the like. Of course, the packaging material used in the method of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned materials as long as it has a necessary sealing effect, and a container made of thick cloth or high density cloth or paper may be used. .

Further, in the above-mentioned package, the material to be packaged and the ozone-adsorbing microorganisms-suppressing material need to be packaged in a substantially hermetically-sealed state by the packaging material as described above. Or, it is possible to prevent wasteful consumption due to escape of active oxygen, and prevent invasion of microorganisms and the like into the package.

In the package formed by the method of the present invention, the total concentration of ozone and active oxygen is at least 1.
It is preferable to reach 2 ppm or more.

When the ozone-adsorbing microbial inhibitor of the present invention is hermetically contained in a package in which microorganisms are present, ozone or active oxygen is gradually released, which comes into contact with the microorganisms inside the package, and sterilizes and disinfects it. Suppresses the growth of microorganisms.
Ozone or active oxygen released in this way has a sterilizing / disinfecting action called lysis against microorganisms, unlike sterilizing / disinfecting agents such as chlorine, and destroys or decomposes the bacterial wall of microorganisms, Annihilate. Therefore, the bactericidal action of ozone or active oxygen is faster than that of chlorine. Therefore, the ozone-adsorbing microorganism inhibiting material of the present invention can achieve the required sterilization / disinfection within a relatively short time.

The embodiments of the present invention will be further described.

For example, when the present invention is applied to a vacuum packaging product in the food field, a microorganism inhibiting material having ozone adsorbed at a low temperature in advance is housed in a breathable container, or not housed, together with the food to be packaged, for example, It is housed in a gas-impermeable plastic material vacuum packaging bag, which is placed in a vacuum box of a vacuum packaging device. Vacuum packaging bags are generally
The other perimeter is already sealed, leaving the charging port open in part. Next, when the inside of the vacuum box is depressurized to a predetermined pressure, the air inside the package is removed, but along with this, ozone or active oxygen adsorbed on the microorganism inhibiting material is released, filling the inside of the package,
A desired sterilizing / disinfecting action is applied to this. Further, decompression operation is performed, and after reaching a predetermined degree of vacuum, the opening of the package is sealed. At this stage, the air in the package is removed, and the desired sterilizing / disinfecting action in the package is completed,
The released ozone or active oxygen is also removed.

The package may be formed under atmospheric pressure by the method of the present invention. In this case, ozone or active oxygen is gradually released from the ozone-adsorbing microbial control material contained in the package, and the required sterilizing / disinfecting action can be provided inside the package.

Further, articles such as foods are packaged by the method of the present invention,
When stored at low temperature and distributed or stored at room temperature according to demand, growth of microorganisms is suppressed at low temperature, but ozone or active oxygen is also stably adsorbed and retained on the adsorbent substrate. It has been done and there is no waste of it. When the temperature of the package rises, the growth of microorganisms inside the package gradually increases, but the release of ozone or active oxygen from the microorganism inhibiting material and the decomposition of ozone into active oxygen also become active, and the activity of the microorganisms is increased. It can be suppressed and sterilized.

The ozone-adsorbing microorganisms-suppressing material of the present invention has the following characteristic actions in addition to the above-mentioned actions. That is, the tendency of the adsorbent base material to adsorb the adsorbed substance changes depending on the type of the adsorbed substance. Therefore, when the adsorbent base material that adsorbs ozone comes into contact with a substance that has a stronger adsorption tendency than ozone, it releases ozone and the substance is adsorbed instead. That is, the substance to be adsorbed is replaced. Therefore, when the material to be packaged undergoes a chemical change with time in the package and, for example, ethylene gas or exudate is generated due to aging of fruits or meat, ozone or active oxygen of the adsorbent substrate is used. Is replaced with these substances and released into the package, suppresses microorganisms, and undergoes the above chemical changes,
For example, overripening can be suppressed and the adverse effect of exudate can be prevented. In addition, the adsorbent base material in the ozone-adsorbing microbial control material of the present invention adsorbs moisture in the package,
It can also improve the drying effect.

In the above description, the embodiment in which the ozone-adsorbing microorganism inhibiting material of the present invention is used separately from the packaging material has been described, but the ozone-adsorbing microorganism inhibiting material of the present invention may be incorporated with the packaging material. . For example, the ozone-adsorbing microorganisms-suppressing material of the present invention may be incorporated into packaging paper, cardboard, or a sheet. in this case,
The adsorbent base material is made into the above paper or sheet, and then,
After performing a required desorption operation, ozone or an active oxygen-containing ozone decomposed product may be adsorbed.

〔Example〕

 The present invention will be further described with reference to examples.

Example 1 and Comparative Example Approximately 1300 ppm per 100 g of the adsorbent base material (average particle size 2 mm) made of silica gel and adjusted to a temperature of 5 ° C. in Example 1.
An air flow containing (v / v) ozone was sprayed at a flow rate of 50 / min for 5 minutes to adsorb ozone on the substrate. The amount of ozone adsorbed was 10 mg.

100 g of ozone-adsorbing microbial control material prepared in this way
Was sealed and packaged with 500 g of food (egg oyster) at room temperature under atmospheric pressure and a polyethylene film (thickness 60 μm), and the package was stored at a temperature of 20 ° C. The number of bacteria before packaging of this food was 10 ³ / g.

When the number of bacteria in the packaged food was measured with time, the results shown in FIG. 1 were obtained.

In Comparative Example 1, the same operation as above was performed. However, no ozone-adsorbing microbial control material was used. The time course of the number of bacteria in the food was as shown in FIG.

As is apparent from FIG. 1, the number of bacteria in the food in the package prepared by the present invention does not increase or decrease until 24 hours after packaging, but decreases thereafter, and after 72 hours, 10 ¹ / g It was.

However, in Comparative Example 1, it was confirmed that the number of bacteria in the food in the package increased with time.

〔The invention's effect〕

The ozone-adsorbing microorganism inhibiting material of the present invention makes it possible to handle ozone and active oxygen as a solid material by adsorbing and holding a sterilizing / disinfecting gas such as active oxygen on the adsorbent base material, and It releases slowly or rapidly as desired, and makes it possible to obtain desired sterilization / disinfection and microbial control effects. Also,
The method of the present invention comprises sterilizing and disinfecting the microorganisms inside the package without adversely affecting the material to be packaged, by sealing the ozone-adsorbing microorganisms-suppressing material together with the material to be packaged by the packaging material. And, it is possible to exert a suppressing action.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a graph showing the time-dependent microbial control effect of the ozone-adsorbing microbial control material of the present invention.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A substrate comprising at least one gas adsorbent, and a microbial inhibitor which is adsorbed and held on the substrate and comprises at least one member selected from ozone and an ozone decomposer containing active oxygen. And an ozone-adsorbing microbial control material comprising an agent. 2. A method for inhibiting microorganisms, which comprises substantially sealing the ozone-adsorbing microorganism inhibiting material according to claim 1 together with a material to be packaged with a packaging material that is substantially impermeable to gas.