Disinfection in Food Processing – Efficacy Testing of Disinfectants

The key to effective cleaning and disinfection of food plants is the understanding of the type of the soil to be removed from the surfaces. An efficient cleaning and disinfection procedure consists of a sequence of rinses using good quality water with application of detergents and disinfectants. Disinfection is required in food plant operations, where wet surfaces provide favourable conditions for the growth of microbes. The efficacy of disinfectants is usually determined in suspensions, which do not mimic the growth conditions on surfaces where the agents are required to inactivate the microbes. Therefore, the suspension tests do not give adequate information and reliable carrier tests, which mimic surface growth, are needed. In developing a proposal for the testing of disinfectants on surfaces to an analytical standard, it is important to identify the major sources of variation in the procedure. In response to the need for a relatively realistic, simple and reliable test for disinfectant efficacy a method for culturing laboratory model biofilms has developed. The use of artificial biofilms i.e. biofilm-constructs inoculated with process contaminants in disinfectant testing can also be used for screening the activity of various disinfectants on biofilm cells. Both biofilm carrier tests showed clearly that the biofilm protects the microbes against the disinfectants. The chemical cleanliness is also essential in food plants. The total cleanliness of the process lines is mainly based on measuring the microbial load using culturing techniques. These results can give an incorrect picture of the total cleanliness, because the viable microbes do not grow when disinfectants are left on the surface. The luminescent bacteria light inhibition method offers a useful alternative for testing chemical residue left on surfaces after cleaning and disinfection operations.     

Efficacy of some commerical disinfectants against the bacterial isolates from a poultry slaughterhouse in Turkey

In this study, efficacy of seven different commercial disinfectant preparations was investigated against characteristic bacteria of a poultry slaughterhouse in Ankara (Turkey) by using paper disc-agar diffusion method and surface effectiveness test. According to paper disc-agar diffusion method, some disinfectants had wide efficacy against the test bacteria. The disinfectant effectiveness generally increased by the increasing of disinfectant concentration. However, some disinfectants were ineffective even though at their highest concentrations. The most effective disinfectant was B which contains QAC as active agent.Staphylococcus spp.,Staphyloccus aureus andEscherichia coli were the most sensitive bacteria to the disinfectants. Some pathogenic isolates, especiallySalmonella spp. andCampylobacter spp., were the most resistant ones to many of the disinfectants tested. The results of paper disc-agar diffusion method indicated the importance of characteristic bacterial strains of food plants as the test bacteria for disinfectant efficacy tests. Conversely of paper disc-agar diffusion method, all disinfectants were effective against the isolates by surface effectiveness test depending on exposure time. The disinfectants, except A and F, produced at least 3 log unit reduction during 5 min of exposure. However, all disinfectants at their lowest concentrations were effective against all tested bacteria during 15 and 30 min by this test.     

The testing of disinfectants

Although all disinfectant tests have the same final purpose, namely measuring the antimicrobial activity of a chemical substance or preparation, a large number of testing methods has been described. They are subdivided into suspension tests, carrier and surface disinfection tests and other practice-mimicking tests. The suspension tests comprise qualitative and quantitative suspension tests, and, as derived tests, the determination of the phenol coefficient and capacity tests. There is an essential difference between a carrier test and a surface disinfectant test: in the former case the carrier is submerged in the disinfectant solution during the whole exposure time, whereas in the latter case the disinfectant is applied on the carrier for the application time and thereafter the carrier is drying during the exposure.The basic principle now widely accepted is that the antimicrobial efficiency of a disinfectant is examined at three stages of testing.The first stage concerns laboratory tests in which it is verified whether a chemical compound or a preparation possesses antimicrobial activity. For these preliminary screening tests, suspension tests are considered.In the second stage of tests, disinfection procedures and not disinfectants are examined. It is determined under which conditions and at which use-dilution for a given application the preparation is active: the tests simulate real-life situations; such tests are carrier tests for the disinfection of materials by submersion and surface disinfection tests.The last stage takes place in the field, and comprises the in-loco or in-situ tests with as variants the in-use tests, which examine whether, after a normal period of use, germs are still killed by the disinfectant solution.It is the task of the European and international standardization organisations to develop new standards and to elaborate tests, which predict the effectiveness of a preparation in practice under variable circumstances.     

Assessment of the efficacy of disinfectants on surfaces

The Literature on testing the efficacy of disinfectants covers a century. Most predominant and standardized are the so called suspension tests that allow for the quantitative estimation of the microbicidal activity (log reduction factors) of disinfectants on test organisms suspended in solutions of these products.Since the outcome of suspension tests might be a poor predictor for the efficacy of a disinfectant under practical circumstances, especially with regard to bacteria attached to surfaces, a variety of test procedures have been designed to mimic those conditions. Within the framework of CEN/TC 216 a quantitative surface test has been developed to assess the activity of disinfectants on bacteria or fungi attached to steenless steel surfaces. Preliminary data suggest that covering a dried inoculum with disinfectant without any further mechanical action to improve contact between organisms and disinfectant, will usually result in lower reduction factors than those obtained with suspension tests. Comparative testing further suggests that by applying mechanical action, with the effect of resuspending cells in the liquid on the surface,—similar to mopping, brushing etc.— will result in higher reduction rates. Although not unexpected these findings emphasize the importance of designing test methods based on practical applications of disinfectants.     

Harnessing prions as test agents for the development of broad-range disinfectants

The development of disinfectants with broad-range efficacy against bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa and prions constitutes an ongoing challenge. Prions, the causative agents of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) or its variant (vCJD) rank among the pathogens with the highest resistance to disinfection. Pilot studies have shown that different procedures devised for prion disinfection were also highly effective against microbial pathogens. This fueled the idea to systematically exploit prions as test pathogens for the identification of new potential broad-range disinfectants. Prions essentially consist of misfolded, aggregated prion protein (PrP) and putatively replicate by nucleation-dependent, or seeded PrP polymerization. Recently, we have been able to establish PrP seeding activity as a quantitative in vitro indicator for the disinfection of 263K scrapie prions on steel wires used as surrogates for medical instruments. The seeding activity on wires re-processed in different disinfectants could be (1) biochemically determined by quantitative protein misfolding cyclic amplification (qPMCA), (2) biologically detected after qPMCA in a cell assay and (3) correctly translated into residual titers of scrapie infectivity. Our approach will substantially facilitate the identification of disinfectants with efficacy against prions as promising candidates for a further microbiological validation of broad-range activity.Key words: cell assay, disinfection, prion, prion protein, protein misfolding cyclic amplification, scrapie, seeding activity, surgical instruments, transmissible spongiform encephalopathies     

多药耐药大肠杆菌对不同消毒剂的抗性探究

目的：研究多药耐药大肠杆菌对不同消毒剂的抗力水平,为临床上合理选择消毒剂提供依据。方法：采用营养肉汤稀释法及悬液定量杀菌实验分别测定临床分离出的具有多重耐药性的大肠杆菌对临床常用消毒剂的最低抑茵浓度（minimum inhibitory concentration,MIC）及不同作用时间消毒剂对菌株的杀灭率,并与大肠杆菌标准株的测定结果进行比较。结果：不同消毒剂对多药耐药大肠杆菌的MIC值不同,洁芙柔消毒凝胶的MIC值为2．8±1．9,绿莎新爱尔施牌消毒片的MIC值为2583．4±1107．2,爱护佳免洗手消毒液的MIC值为144．63：86．9,安尔碘II型皮肤消毒剂的MIC值为16．1±7．7。4种常用消毒剂对多要耐药大肠杆菌的MIC值均高于标准菌,绿莎新爱尔施牌消毒片及爱护佳免洗手消毒液的MIC值与标准大肠杆菌较为接近。另外,4种常用消毒剂在常用浓度下对标准大肠杆菌和多药耐药大肠杆菌作用5min的杀灭率均能打到100％,标准大肠杆菌的被杀灭率略高于多药耐药大肠杆菌。结论：多药耐药菌株对消毒剂的抗性日益受到关注,使用时调整浓度、加强消毒剂科学管理对控制医院感染具有重要意义。     

A suspension method to determine reuse life of chemical disinfectants during clinical use

In-use testing of disinfectants is necessary to ensure efficacy over time. The current official procedure for testing disinfectants, the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) use-dilution method, cannot be adapted to repeated sampling techniques of use-life testing. It is therefore necessary to use an alternative method when evaluating the activity of a disinfectant under actual use. The Clinical Research Associates (CRA) suspension method was developed to fill this need. It consists of adding 0.5 ml of a standard culture to 5.0 ml of test disinfectant and sampling the mixture after 10 min for surviving bacteria. When this test was compared with the AOAC use-dilution method under a simulated use situation, the two methods were generally equivalent in identifying disinfectant inactivation. In addition, the CRA method was less time consuming, easier to perform, and less variable than the AOAC method. Use of the CRA method in a clinical study demonstrated the need for reuse claims to be based on clinical use studies rather than on laboratory testing only.     

Use of the modified Robbins device to study the in vitro biofilm removal efficacy of NitrAdine, a novel disinfecting formula for the maintenance of oral medical devices

Aims:  To evaluate the use of the modified Robbins device (MRD) to test disinfection strategies against biofilms that form on oral medical devices and to test the biofilm removal efficacy of NitrAdine^TM, a disinfectant for the maintenance of oral medical devices.
Methods and Results:  Biofilms were grown on discs using the MRD and biofilms formed in this system were used to evaluate the efficacy of NitrAdine^TM and to determine the optimal disinfection conditions. Our data indicate that the use of the MRD allows for the rapid and reproducible formation of high-density biofilms. Determination of the efficacy of NitrAdine^TM revealed high activity against biofilms tested (e.g. >3 log reduction for Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus ) and allowed the determination of the optimal conditions for its use.
Conclusion:  The high reproducibility and flexibility of the MRD make it an excellent candidate for standardized testing of disinfectants aimed at reducing biofilms on oral medical devices. Using this system, we were able to demonstrate that NitrAdine^TM exhibits high activity against biofilms formed by the micro-organisms tested.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  Our data suggest that our procedure is appropriate for standardized testing of disinfectants aimed at reducing biofilms on oral medical devices.     

A suspension method to determine reuse life of chemical disinfectants during clinical use.

In-use testing of disinfectants is necessary to ensure efficacy over time. The current official procedure for testing disinfectants, the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) use-dilution method, cannot be adapted to repeated sampling techniques of use-life testing. It is therefore necessary to use an alternative method when evaluating the activity of a disinfectant under actual use. The Clinical Research Associates (CRA) suspension method was developed to fill this need. It consists of adding 0.5 ml of a standard culture to 5.0 ml of test disinfectant and sampling the mixture after 10 min for surviving bacteria. When this test was compared with the AOAC use-dilution method under a simulated use situation, the two methods were generally equivalent in identifying disinfectant inactivation. In addition, the CRA method was less time consuming, easier to perform, and less variable than the AOAC method. Use of the CRA method in a clinical study demonstrated the need for reuse claims to be based on clinical use studies rather than on laboratory testing only.     

Evaluation of hydrogen peroxide-based disinfectants in a new resazurin microplate method for rapid efficacy testing of biocides

Aims:  Development of the resazurin microplate method (RMM) as a novel test system for the evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of antiseptics and disinfectants. The validated RMM was subsequently applied for the evaluation of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and stabilized H₂O₂ combination products.
Methods and Results:  The European Committee for Standardization prescribes the plate count challenge test (PCCT) for antiseptic and disinfectant efficacy testing. This protocol was adapted to a microplate-based assay, using resazurin as viability indicator. The RMM was as accurate as the PCCT, had an identical detection limit and showed high intermediate precision. Using the validated RMM, it was shown that H₂O₂ combined with silver possessed a higher bactericidal and fungicidal activity compared to native H₂O₂ with and without glycerol.
Conclusions:  Validation showed that the RMM may replace the PCCT. When applying the RMM, H₂O₂ combined with silver was clearly a more potent disinfectant compared to H₂O₂ in killing bacteria and fungi.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  The RMM is easier to use for antimicrobial efficacy testing of antiseptics and disinfectants. As the RMM is in accordance with the norms of the European Committee for Standardization, it may become a more cost-effective alternative to the more laborious PCCT reference method. H₂O₂ with silver may replace native H₂O₂ to increase overall disinfection efficiency.     

Characterization of micro-organisms isolated from dairy industry after cleaning and fogging disinfection with alkyl amine and peracetic acid

AIMS: To characterize micro-organisms isolated from Norwegian dairy production plants after cleaning and fogging disinfection with alkyl amine/peracetic acid and to indicate reasons for survival. METHODS AND RESULTS: Microbial samples were collected from five dairy plants after cleaning and fogging disinfection. Isolates from two of these production plants, which used fogging with alkylamino acetate (plant A), and peracetic acid (plant B), were chosen for further characterization. The sequence of the 16S ribosomal DNA, fatty acid analysis and biochemical characteristics were used to identify isolates. Three isolates identified as Rhodococcus erythropolis, Methylobacterium rhodesianum and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa were isolated from plant A and one Sphingomonas sp. and two M. extorquens from plant B. Different patterns of resistance to seven disinfectants in a bactericidal suspension test and variable degree of attachment to stainless steel were found. The strains with higher disinfectant resistance showed lower degree of attachment than susceptible strains. CONCLUSIONS: The study identifies and characterizes micro-organisms present after cleaning and fogging disinfection. Both surface attachment and resistance were shown as possible reasons for the presence of the isolates after cleaning and disinfection. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: These results contribute to the awareness of disinfectant resistance as well as attachment as mechanisms of survival in dairy industry. It also strengthens the argument of frequent alternation of disinfectants in the food processing industry to avoid the establishment of resistant house strains.     

The effect of interfering substances on the disinfection process: a mathematical model

AIMS: To gain a greater understanding of the effect of interfering substances on the efficacy of disinfection. METHODS AND RESULTS: Current kinetic disinfection models were augmented by a term designed to quantify the deleterious effect of soils such as milk on the disinfection process of suspended organisms. The model was based on the assumption that inactivation by added soil occurred at a much faster rate than microbial inactivation. The new model, the fat-soil model, was also able to quantify the effect of changing the initial inoculum size (1 x 10(7)-5 x 10(7) ml(-1) of Staphylococcus aureus) on the outcome of the suspension tests. Addition of catalase to the disinfection of Escherichia coli by hydrogen peroxide, resulted in changes to the shape of the log survivor/time plots. These changes were modelled on the basis of changing biocide concentration commensurate with microbial inactivation. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction in efficacy of a disinfectant in the presence of an interfering substance can be quantified through the use of adaptations to current disinfection models. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Understanding the effect of soil on disinfection efficacy allows us to understand the limitations of disinfectants and disinfection procedures. It also gives us a mechanism with which to investigate the soil tolerance of new biocides and formulations.     

Disinfection of wooden structures contaminated with Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae spores

AIMS: The aim of the study is to examine the disinfection of wood contaminated with Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae spores, in order to find a practical decontamination method for hive materials. METHODS AND RESULTS: The number of viable spores recovered after the treatment, on the surface by swabbing, and in the deeper parts of the wood by scraping, was used to test the efficiency of the disinfection. Our results indicate that chemical disinfection is only complete when high concentrations (> 50%) of the disinfectant are used. Heat treatment in general was found to be very effective. The scorching of wood was not satisfactory as it only killed spores at the surface. CONCLUSION: Complete disinfection is only possible with some heat treatments or by using high concentrations of chemical disinfectants. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study puts forward some methods that can provide complete decontamination, which is necessary for an effective control of American foulbrood disease.     

Disinfection and hygiene in the veterinary field and disinfection of animal houses and transport vehicles

Disinfection in animal houses means always a combination between cleaning and disinfection because the high amount of organic material present in such an environment will neutralize rapidly each disinfectant brought to the surface if no cleaning step had been done before. Depending on the kind of material, cleaning gives a 3 log reduction of total bacterial count on the surface and disinfection another 3 log reduction. This means that under practical conditions generally 10³ cfu of bacteria remain per cm² of surface, mostly sporeformers. The choice of disinfectant depends on the purpose of disinfection. In the case of notifiable diseases, it must be active against a defined pathogen. In the case of prophylactic disinfection, it must be active against a broad spectrum of microorganisms.Only disinfectants which are tested for their activity on surfaces which are representative for animal houses e.g. wood should be used, otherwise the failure under practical conditions can be predicted and work, as well as money, will be wasted. The optimal temperature for the liquids used in cleaning and disinfection is 40°C and the optimal temperature of surfaces is 20°C. Colder surfaces require higher concentrations of active substances in the solution, below 10°C the effect of practical disinfection is incomplete. Low air humidity and high air velocity have a negative influence on the action of most disinfectants on surfaces. The amount of disinfectant necessary to disinfect a surface in an animal house is at least 0.4 l/m². Transport vehicles are very difficult to disinfect, especially in winter-time. They should be cleaned with hot water, the remaining liquid should be removed by a suitable vacuum cleaner and the concentration of the disinfectant should be elevated at least for the factor 3. Mechanic action will improve the disinfecting effect in vehicles as well as preliminary disinfection prior cleaning.     

A comparison of the efficacy of different disinfection methods in eliminating Salmonella contamination from turkey houses

Aims: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of different disinfection methods in eliminating Salmonella contamination from turkey houses. Methods and Results: Fifty depopulated turkey houses which had all housed Salmonella‐positive flocks were visited after cleaning and disinfection. A minimum of 45 swab samples from different surfaces were taken per house and analysed for the presence of Salmonella. The sampled surfaces included intact floor surfaces, floor cracks, walls, feeders, drinkers, anteroom, nestboxes and miscellaneous items. Houses were grouped according to the disinfectant which had been used and the efficacy of the different groups of disinfectants was compared. Sixty‐eight % of houses tested positive for Salmonella after C&D. Out of 4440 samples, 207 tested positive for Salmonella, giving an overall sample prevalence of 4·7%. There was no significant difference in the level of residual contamination between breeding, rearing and finishing houses. Products containing a mixture of formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde and quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC) performed significantly better than products containing hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid. Cleaning and disinfection was least effective in nestboxes and anterooms. Conclusions: Thorough cleaning and the choice of a suitable disinfectant are crucial if Salmonella contamination of turkey houses is to be eliminated. Significance and impact of the study: This study shows that disinfectants containing a mixture of formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde and QAC perform significantly better under field conditions than oxidising products and should therefore be the first choice for disinfection of turkey premises where Salmonella is present.     

Model systems allowing quantification of sensitivity to disinfectants and comparison of disinfectant susceptibility of persistent and presumed nonpersistent Listeria monocytogenes

Aims:  To determine if Listeria monocytogenes persistent strains differ from presumed nonpersistent strains in disinfection susceptibility and to examine the influence of attachment and NaCl on susceptibility.
Methods and Results:  Two model-systems that allowed quantitative inter-strain comparison of disinfectant sensitivity were developed. Persistent L. monocytogenes were not more tolerant to the disinfectants Incimaxx DES and Triquart SUPER than presumed nonpersistent isolates. When calibrating the systems with respect to presence of biological material and cell density, attached bacteria were as sensitive to disinfectants as were planktonic bacteria. Growth with 5% NaCl increased the tolerance of planktonic cells to Incimaxx DES. All strains of spot inoculated L. monocytogenes survived well 20 h of drying when protected by growth media and 5% NaCl, but were not protected by NaCl against disinfection.
Conclusions:  Persistent strains of L. monocytogenes are as susceptible to disinfectants as are presumed nonpersistent strains and attachment does not render the strains more tolerant to disinfectants. Growth with NaCl affected the susceptibility of the planktonic L. monocytogenes to Incimaxx DES and protected spot inoculated cells during drying.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  Attachment to surfaces does not per se offer protection to L. monocytogenes against disinfectants and disinfection tolerances do not appear to influence the ability of a strain to persist.     

Efficacy of a variety of disinfectants against Listeria spp.

The efficacy of 14 disinfectants against Listeria innocua and two strains of Listeria monocytogenes in the presence of organic matter was studied. Quantitative efficacy tests were used. Many of the disinfectants tested were not as effective on Listeria spp. when the test organisms were dried onto the surface of steel disks (carrier tests) as they were when the organisms were placed in suspension (suspension test). The presence of whole serum and milk (2% fat) further reduced the disinfectant capacities of most of the formulations studied. Only three disinfectants (povidone-iodine, chlorhexidine gluconate, and glutaraldehyde) were effective in the carrier test in the presence of serum; however, all three were ineffective when challenged with milk (2% fat). Only one solution, sodium dichloroisocyanurate, was effective in the presence of milk. All but four formulations (chloramine-T, phosphoric acid, an iodophor, and formaldehyde) were effective in the suspension tests, regardless of the organic load. L. monocytogenes was observed to be slightly more resistant to disinfection than L. innocua was. There was no difference in disinfectant susceptibility between the two strains of L. monocytogenes. These findings emphasize the need for caution in selecting an appropriate disinfectant for use on contaminated surfaces, particularly in the presence of organic material.     

Progress report on CEN/TC 216/Working Group 3: Disinfectant test methods for food hygiene, institutional, industrial and domestic applications

The scope of Working Group 3 (WG3) is very wide both in terms of the areas it covers and the range of disinfectant applications. The major role of disinfectants within this field, however, is the control of the microbial contamination of surfaces that could be used to produce products to be eaten or used by people (cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs etc.). For these applications, disinfectants need to be tested to quantify the effects of microbial type and growth conditions, interfering substances, pH, temperature, contact time and concentration. To address these needs, WG3 has produced a Phase 2 Step 1 Bactericidal (prEN 1276) and Fungicidal (prEN 1650) test, which are at the stage of public comment, and are intended to cover the majority of disinfection applications in its remit. More specialist tests are in preparation to cover virucidal and sporicidal applications and will be available by 1997. These are suspension tests and should be applied when the targeted microbial contamination is already in suspension or is brought into suspension by the disinfectant action. In addition, a surface test is being developed on the basis of the protocol published by the Ad-hoc Surface Test Group. This test will be used to assess disinfection efficacy against organisms attached to surfaces, e.g. those remaining on food processing surfaces after a cleaning action. It is hoped that these approaches will provide test methods that will give confidence, to both disinfectant manufacturers and users, of the performance of disinfectant products when used for their intended purpose.     

An investigation into the differences between the Bioscreen and the traditional plate count disinfectant test methods

Investigations of biocide efficacy by automated methods involving optical density measurements, e.g. using the recently published 'Bioscreen' method, are complicated by the fact that a poor correlation often exists between the log reductions obtained using the automated method vs those obtained by the traditional plate count methods. It was hypothesized that the differences observed between the two methods were due to the level of cell injury, which was masked by the optical density methods but which was recognized by the plate counts. Comparisons of log reductions following a disinfection test always showed the Bioscreen method to be overestimating the log reductions with respect to the plate counts. A correlation between colony size on the plates and the 'Bioscreen' results for a fixed disinfectant concentration and contact time was found using Global Imaging software. The results obtained also suggested that the observed colony area was dependent on the amount of injury incurred by a microbe during the disinfection process. A mathematical model of injury was developed which predicted the observed differences between the Bioscreen and the traditional plate method. The model further suggested a possible reason for biocidal lags.     

Efficacy of a variety of disinfectants against Listeria spp

The efficacy of 14 disinfectants against Listeria innocua and two strains of Listeria monocytogenes in the presence of organic matter was studied. Quantitative efficacy tests were used. Many of the disinfectants tested were not as effective on Listeria spp. when the test organisms were dried onto the surface of steel disks (carrier tests) as they were when the organisms were placed in suspension (suspension test). The presence of whole serum and milk (2% fat) further reduced the disinfectant capacities of most of the formulations studied. Only three disinfectants (povidone-iodine, chlorhexidine gluconate, and glutaraldehyde) were effective in the carrier test in the presence of serum; however, all three were ineffective when challenged with milk (2% fat). Only one solution, sodium dichloroisocyanurate, was effective in the presence of milk. All but four formulations (chloramine-T, phosphoric acid, an iodophor, and formaldehyde) were effective in the suspension tests, regardless of the organic load. L. monocytogenes was observed to be slightly more resistant to disinfection than L. innocua was. There was no difference in disinfectant susceptibility between the two strains of L. monocytogenes. These findings emphasize the need for caution in selecting an appropriate disinfectant for use on contaminated surfaces, particularly in the presence of organic material.