WO2000052126A1

WO2000052126A1 - Compositions and method for cleaning and sanitizing dairy udder cloths

Info

Publication number: WO2000052126A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/005218
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alejandro O. Dee; Charles D. Gradle
Original assignee: Babson Brothers Co
Current assignee: Babson Brothers Co
Priority date: 1999-03-01
Filing date: 2000-02-29
Publication date: 2000-09-08
Anticipated expiration: 2001-09-01
Also published as: AR022799A1; AU3611300A

Abstract

A method of cleaning and sanitizing dairy udder cloths comprises washing the cloths in an aqueous medium comprising a given amount of water and an amount of cleaning and sanitizing composition comprising an antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of solid chlorinated compounds, quaternary ammonium compounds, and phenolic compounds sufficient to sanitize the cloths when the cleaning and sanitizing composition is dissolved in the given amount of water. Also claimed is a dairy udder cloth cleaning and sanitizing composition, comprising (1) an antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of solid chlorinated compounds present in an amount from about 5% to about 15% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition, quaternary ammonium compounds present in an amount from about 5% to about 30% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition, and phenolic compounds present in an amount from about 2% to about 5% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition, (2) at least one chelating agent, present in an amount from about 10% to about 35% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition, and (3) at least one carrier, present in an amount from about 20% to about 70% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition.

Description

COMPOSITIONS AND METHOD FOR CLEANING AND SANITIZING DAIRY UDDER CLOTHS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Proper hygiene practices are important for the production of safe, high quality milk, for the prevention of disease in dairy cows, and for maintenance of healthy dairy cows. A component of proper hygiene practices is the washing and drying of the cows' udders and teats prior to milking.

Several methods are used to wash and/or sanitize the udder and teats of a dairy cow prior to milking, including spraying with water or antiseptic wash solutions and dipping the teats with antiseptic products such as teat dips. One purpose of washing the udder and teats is to clean the area of any contaminating debris such as feces or dirt. Another purpose is to reduce or eliminate the presence of pathogenic microorganisms on the surface of the skin. These microorganisms may contaminate the milk or infect the mammary gland of the dairy cow, causing mastitis. Presently, mastitis is a major world-wide problem for operations containing these animals. It is estimated mastitis causes a yearly loss to dairy farmers in the United States alone of about two billion dollars. The teats must be dried before the attachment of the milking machine claw at the initiation of milking, because any moisture remaining after washing may contain pathogenic microorganisms which can migrate up the teat canal and infect the mammary gland. A second reason that the teats must be dried is the formation of a good seal with the milking machine claw liners. The presence of moisture will prevent the formation of a vacuum. This deleteriously effects the pulsation of the milking machine and causes milk and any residual moisture to be propelled back into the teat ends, increasing the probability of an infection. Furthermore, the Food and Drug Administration requires that the teats and udder be cleaned and dried prior to milking. Traditionally, the most popular method of drying the teats is the use of single service paper towels. The popularity of paper towels stems from the fact that the towels are clean and free from contamination because they are not reused and that they are relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain.

Another method of drying the teats is the use of cloth towels, or "dairy udder cloths," which are repeatedly washed and reused. Many dairy producers prefer dairy udder cloths over paper towels because the dairy udder cloths are better at cleaning and drying due to their absorbent nature and their greater ability to penetrate into cracks and crevices. Many dairy personnel also find dairy udder cloths easier to use than paper towels because of their pliability. In addition, dairy udder cloths are softer and gentler on the skin. Paper towels, due to their abrasive qualities, have been shown to irritate the skin of the teats upon repeated use. Dairy udder cloths are both better for the environment and the dairy farmer's pocketbook because the cloths are reused.

However, the cloths need to be washed and sanitized between uses to avoid the spread of pathogens. Towels that are not properly disinfected may cause the transfer of pathogens from infected teats to uninfected teats during future milking. In fact, the primary means of spreading of certain types of mastitis, particularly those caused by Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus, is cow-to-cow transfer. Studies indicate that ordinary laundry detergents are not capable of killing the harmful mastitis-causing bacteria found in dairy udder cloths, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. Although bleach, in the form of liquid sodium hypochlorite solutions, may be added to the washing water in addition to the detergent to kill the bacteria, such bleach begins to degrade cloth material after only one washing. Such a two component combination is therefore not economical, because the dairy udder cloths must be replaced frequently.

As a result, there is a need for a method of cleaning and sanitizing dairy udder cloths in a single step. There is also a need for a method of cleaning and sanitizing dairy udder cloths that is gentle on the cloths, so as not to reduce the reusability of the cloths. There is also a need for a method of cleaning and sanitizing dairy udder cloths that is economical. There is a further need for a cleaning and sanitizing composition that can both clean and disinfect dairy udder cloths, and that does not rapidly degrade the cloth material. These needs are met by the composition and methods of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventors have discovered an effective dairy udder cloth cleaning and sanitizing composition that is gentle on the cloths and substantially prevents the spread of mastitis-causing microorganism to the dairy animal during drying of the animal's teats. This composition comprises (1) an antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of solid chlorinated compounds present in an amount from about 5% to about 15% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition, quaternary ammonium compounds present in an amount from about 5% to about 30% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition, and phenolic compounds present in an amount from about 2% to about 5% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition, (2) at least one chelating agent, present in an amount from about 10% to about 35% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition, and (3) at least one carrier, present in an amount from about 20% to about 70% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition. The inventors have also discovered a method of cleaning and sanitizing dairy udder cloths, comprising washing the cloths in an aqueous medium comprising a given amount of water and an amount of a cleaning and sanitizing composition comprising an antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of solid chlorinated compounds, quaternary ammonium compounds, and phenolic compounds sufficient to sanitize the cloths when the cleaning and sanitizing composition is dissolved in the given amount of water. This method effectively kills mastitis-causing microorganisms present on the cloths, while at the same time cleaning the cloths in a gentle manner, thus prolonging the useful life of individual cloths.

In a specific embodiment, the method of the present invention comprises washing the cloths in an aqueous medium comprising a given amount of water and an amount of cleaning and sanitizing composition comprising a solid chlorinated compound sufficient to provide at least 100 parts per million ("ppm") available chlorine when dissolved in the given amount of water. This amount of cleaning and sanitizing composition is potent enough to kill mastitis-causing bacteria, and yet is gentle enough to not degrade the cloth. This method, as well as the method discussed above, works equally well in hot and cold wash water . Moreover, the cleaned and sanitized cloths do not need to be dried before use, thus resulting in energy and cost savings to the dairyman.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As stated above, the present invention provides a dairy udder cloth cleaning and sanitizing composition, and a method of using that composition, and in addition, compositions comprising solid chlorinated compounds to clean and sanitize the cloths. The cleaning and sanitizing composition for use in the method of the present invention comprises an antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of solid chlorinated compounds, quaternary ammonium compounds, and phenolic compounds, where the antimicrobial agent is present in an amount sufficient to sanitize the cloths when the cleaning and sanitizing composition is dissolved in a given amount of water. Normally, the given amount of water is approximately seventeen gallons, which is the capacity of a typical washing machine for household use. The cleaning and sanitizing composition also preferably contains one or more of the following components: chelating agents, surfactants, carriers, anti-caking agents, fragrances, or dyes. This composition and the method of using the composition are described in more detail below. The Solid Chlorinated Compound

Any solid chlorinated compound with antimicrobial activity can be used in the composition and method of the present invention. The solid chlorinated compound may be organic or inorganic. Preferred organic solid chlorinated compounds include sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate, dichlorodimethyl hydantoin, bromochlorodimethyl hydantoin, and trichloroisocyanuric acid. Preferred inorganic solid chlorinated compounds include calcium hypochlorite and lithium hypochlorite. The use of sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate is most preferred, because it is extremely stable, and provides a high amount of available chlorine on a per weight basis. Sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate is available from Occidental Chemical Cooperation, Occidental Tower, 5005 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Texas.

Generally, the chlorinated compound should be present in the range of about 2 % to about 30 % by weight of the composition. Preferably, the chlorinated compound should be present at an amount in the range of about 5 % to about 20 % by weight of the composition. Most preferably, the chlorinated compound should be present in an amount in the range of about 5 % to about 15 % by weight of the composition. Where sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate is used, it should most preferably be present in an amount from about 8% to about 12 % by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition.

In another aspect of the invention, the solid chlorinated compound should be present in an amount sufficient to provide at least about 100 ppm of available chlorine when the cleaning and sanitizing composition is diluted in the wash water. Preferably, the chlorinated compound should be present in an amount sufficient to provide from about 150 ppm to about 200 ppm of available chlorine. The Quaternary Ammonium Compound The cleaning and sanitizing composition can comprise one or more quaternary ammonium compounds as the antimicrobial agent. While it is preferred that such quaternary ammonium compounds not be used in combination with a solid chlorinated compound, such a combination is within the scope of the present invention. Preferred surface active agents include quaternary ammonium compounds such as monoalkyltrimethyl or triethylammonium salts, monoal-kyldimethylben-zylammonium salts, heteroaromatic ammonium salts, and bis- quaternary ammonium salts or other surface-active constituents that are classified as antimicrobial. Preferably; these components should be present in an amount in the range of about 5 % to about 30 % by weight of the composition. The Phenolic Compound

The composition for use in the method of the present invention can also contain one or more phenolic compound having antimicrobial activity as the antimicrobial agent. Again, while it is preferred that the phenolic compound not be used in combination with the quaternary ammonium compounds and the solid chlorinated compounds, such combinations are within the scope of the present invention. Preferred phenolic compounds include esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (parabens), p-chloro-m-xylenol, or similar phenolic-based compounds. Chelating Agents

One or more chelating or sequestering agents should be used in the cleaning and sanitizing composition to counter the negative effects of dissolved minerals in removing and dispersing soil and debris. While any known chelating and/or sequestering agents can be used, preferred agents include sodium tripolyphosphate, polyacrylate, sodium citrate, zeolites, and sodium EDTA. The use of sodium tripolyphosphate is particularly preferred for reasons of cost, and because it is an extremely effective soil and minerals suspender. The total amount of chelating agents present in the cleaning and sanitizing composition should be from about 10% to about 35% by weight of the composition, with an amount from about 15% to about 25% by weight being preferred. Other Components

Other components may also be included in the cleaning and sanitizing composition of the present invention. For example, one or more surfactants to act as wetting agents and detergents for removing and dispersing soil and debris may be present. Useful surfactants include any known anionic, non-ionic and cat-ionic surfactant. The surfactant should be present in an amount from about 1% to about 10% by weight of the composition. A carrier should also be present in the composition. Where the cleaning and sanitizing composition is a liquid, such as when one or more quaternary ammonium compounds are present as the antimicrobial agent, the carrier should be water. Where the cleaning and sanitizing composition is a solid, such as when one or more solid chlorinated compounds or phenolic compounds are used as the antimicrobial agent, an alkaline filler, to aid in the chelating agent's ability to remove and disperse soil, should be used as the carrier. Any known alkaline filler for use in detergent compositions can be used, with the use of soda ash being preferred. The carrier should be present in an amount from about 20% to about 70% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition. Anti-caking agents, such as fumed silica, can also be included. The anti- caking agent should be present in an amount from about 0.1% to about 0.5% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition. In addition, compatible fragrances and dyes may also be present, in amounts from about 0.1% to about 0.3% by weight of the composition and from about 0.05% to about 0.1% by weight of the composition, respectively.

Where the cleaning and sanitizing composition is a solid, the composition is made by blending the various components together using known techniques, such as a ribbon blender or Marion blender, until a homogenous mixture is formed. At a blending speed of 250-300 rpm, the mixing time necessary to achieve homogeneity is approximately two to four minutes. If the composition is a liquid, the various components are added to the carrier, and the solution is mixed by means known to those in the art until a homogenous solution is obtained. Use Of The Composition In The Method Of The Present Invention

The above-described cleaning and sanitizing composition is used in the practice of the present invention by adding it to the water in which the dairy udder cloths are to be washed, to form an aqueous medium. The amount of cleaning and sanitizing composition that should be used depends on the specific antimicrobial agent that is chosen, the amount of that agent that is present in the composition, and the amount of water in which the daily udder cloths are to be washed.

Where the antimicrobial agent is a solid chlorinated compound, an amount of cleaning and sanitizing composition sufficient to provide at least about 100 ppm of available chlorine when the cleaning and sanitizing composition is diluted in the wash water should be used in the practice of the present invention. Preferably, the cleaning and sanitizing composition should be present in an amount sufficient to provide about 150 ppm to about 200 ppm of available chlorine. As stated above, the actual amount of cleaning and sanitizing composition to be used depends on the identity of the antimicrobial agent, the amount of antimicrobial agent in the composition, and the amount of water in which dairy udder cloths are to be washed. Preferably, the cleaning and sanitizing composition is formulated so that four ounces of the composition, when used with approximately seventeen gallons of water ( the normal capacity of a household washing machine) will provide the desired cleaning and sanitizing effect. For example, use of 4 ounces of a cleaning and sanitizing composition comprising 10% by weight sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate in seventeen gallons of water will provide approximately 100 ppm of available chlorine. To practice the method of the present invention, an amount of the cleaning and sanitizing composition sufficient to clean and sanitize the dairy udder cloths is put in a washing machine, either prior to, during, or after the addition of the water. The water to be used is preferably hot, although warm or cold water may also be used. The dairy udder cloths to be cleaned and sanitized are placed in the washing machine, and washed in normal fashion. The cleaned and sanitized dairy udder cloths can then be dried before use, although drying is not necessary. The present invention is further described in the following Examples.

Example 1

The following components were combined in the amounts shown below, and blended as described above to provide a cleaning and sanitizing composition for use in the method of the present invention:

Example 2

The following components were combined in the order listed and amounts shown below, and mixed as described above, to provide a cleaning and sanitizing composition of the present invention .

Example 3 The cleaning and sanitizing compositions of Example 1 and Example 2 were then tested for efficacy in killing common mastitis-causing bacteria. The test was designed to emulate washing dairy udder cloths in the practice of the method of the present invention.

Overnight cultures of Staph. aureus, E. coli, or Pseudomonas aeruginosa were mixed, washed and concentrated two- to four-fold in one flask. To this flask was added two-inch squares of cotton wash cloth material. After five minutes, the cloths were aseptically removed, excess fluid was wrung out, and the cloths were added to wash water containing the composition of Example 1 or Example 2 at various dilutions. After shaking on an orbital shaker at 37° C for 15 minutes, the cloths were removed, wrung out and added to 4.4 °C (40 °F) deionized sterile rinse water. The cloths were again shaken at room temperature, excess fluid was wrung out, and the cloths were placed flat on bacteriological agar media. The wash and rinse water samples were diluted serially and also plated on solid media. Cloths were also washed in water with no cleaning and sanitizing composition (negative control) and in a commercially available laundry detergent. The plates were incubated overnight at 37° C. The results are shown in Table 2 (hot water wash) and Table 3 (cold water wash). The cloth plates are reported as growth/no growth and the wash and rinse samples are counted are reported as CFU/ml and percent survival.

Example 4

Dairy udder cloths were used to clean cow teats, and then were washed in accordance with the method of the present invention, using the composition of Example 1, at three separate dairy farms, as further described below. Dairy udder cloths having a terry cloth consistency were used as a pre-wipe before milking cows in the normal fashion of the dairy. Cloths were then collected within a short time of use and either washed, washed and dried or, in the case of negative controls, nothing was done at all. The normal (approx. 10 min) cycle was used with the washer, and a one-fourth or one-half cup amount of cleaning and sanitizing composition, or commercial detergent was used in the wash cycle of whatever product was utilized (depending on which trial). Hot water was measured at approximately 168°F. The dairy udder cloths were aseptically handled during the test and were collected in unused zip-lock bags. They were transported, under ice, to a lab for assay.

At the lab, pieces from the cloths were aseptically cut and weighed. They were transferred to tubes containing 20ml PBS (phosphate buffered saline) and vortexed for 15 seconds. One tenth of a millimeter (0J ml) was transferred onto the various types of microbiological media and struck dry with a hockey stick type streaker. Serial dilutions were made for certain of the media where appropriate. The plates were inverted and incubated for at least 48 hours at 35°C. Colonies were enumerated macroscopically. The results are shown below in Tables 4-6, where each table represents the results for a different dairy farm

TABLE 5

TΛELE6

TABLE 7

^* Sample describes the composition used (Cheer and Rave are commercial detergents) whether the wash was hot or cold, and whether or not the cloths were dried. ^b Weight of cloth assayed in a tube suspension of PBS. Average of from two to five cloths per sample category ^c Trypticase Soy Agar; represents total number of microorganisms that grow at approx. 37°C.

⁴ MacConkey Agar, represents enteric bacteria, including coliforms. ^β Strcptosel Agar represents Streptococcus species bacteria. ^f Staphylococcus 110 Agar, represents Staphylococcus and other gram positive species. ⁸ Pseudomonas Isolation Agar, represents primarily Pseudomonas and like species. ^h Pseudosel Agar; represent Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

¹ Sabourauds Dextrose Agar; represents molds, fungi and bacteria that can grow at a low pH, (i.e.: lactobacillus)

¹ Colony-forming units per ml.

The above examples and detailed description are provided for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations there&om should be read into the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMSWE CLAIM:

1. A method of cleaning and sanitizing dairy udder cloths, comprising washing the cloths in an aqueous medium comprising a given amount of water and an amount of a cleaning and sanitizing composition comprising an antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of solid chlorinated compounds, quaternary ammonium compounds, and phenolic compounds sufficient to sanitize the cloths when the cleaning and sanitizing composition is dissolved in the given amount of water.

2. The method of claim 1, where the antimicrobial agent is a solid chlorinated compound.

3. The method of claim 2, where the solid chlorinated compound is selected from the group consisting of sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate, dichlorodimethyl hydantoin, bromochlorodimethyl hydantoin, trichloroisocyanuric acid, calcium hypochlorite, and lithium hypochlorite.

4. The method of claim 3, where the solid chlorinated compound is sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate.

5. The method of claim 2, where the solid chlorinated compound is present in an amount from about 5% to about 15% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition.

6. The method of claim 4, where the sodium dichloroisocyanurate is present in an amount from about 8% to about 12% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition.

7. The method of claim 1, where the cleaning and sanitizing composition further comprises sodium tripolyphosphate.

8. The method of claim 1, where the antimicrobial agent is a quaternary ammonium compound.

9. The method of claim 8, where the quaternary ammonium compound is selected from the group consisting of monoalkyltrimethyl ammonium salts, triethylammonium salts, monoaUcyldimethylbenzylanrunonium salts, heteroaromatic ammonium salts, and bis-quaternary ammonium salts.

10. The method of claim 8, where the quaternary ammonium compound is present in an amount from about 5% to about 30% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition.

11. The method of claim 1, where the antimicrobial agent is a phenolic compound.

12. The method of claim 11, where the phenolic compound is selected from the group consisting of esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid and p-chloro-m-xylenol.

13. The method of claim 11, where the phenolic compound is present in an amount from about 2% to about 5% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition.

14. A dairy udder cloth cleaning and sanitizing composition, comprising (1) an antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium compounds present in an amount from about 5% to about 30% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition, and phenolic compounds present in an amount from about 2% to about 5% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition, (2) at least one chelating agent, present in an amount from about 10% to about 35% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition, and (3) at least one carrier, present in an amount from about 20% to about 70% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition.

15. The composition of claim 14, where the chelating agent comprises sodium tripolyphosphate.

16. The composition of claim 15, where the carrier comprises soda ash.

17. The composition of claim 14, where the antimicrobial agent is a quaternary ammonium compound

18. The composition of claim 17, where the quaternary ammonium compound is selected from the group consisting of monoalkyltrimethyl ammonium salts, triethylammonium salts, monoalkyldimethylbenzylammonium salts, heteroaromatic ammonium salts, and bis-quaternary ammonium salts.

19. The composition of claim 14, where the antimicrobial agent is a phenolic compound.

20. The composition of claim 19, where the phenolic compound is selected from the group consisting of esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and p-chloro-m- xylenol.

21. A method of cleaning and sanitizing dairy udder cloths, comprising washing the cloths in an aqueous medium comprising a given amount of water and an amount of cleaning and sanitizing composition comprising a solid chlorinated compound sufficient to provide at least 100 parts per million free chlorine when dissolved in the given amount of water.

22. The method of claim 21, where the solid chlorinated compound is present in an amount from about 2% to about 30% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition.

23. The method of claim 21, where that solid chlorinated compound is present in an amount from about 5% to about 15% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition.

24. The method of claim 21, where the solid chlorinated compound is selected from the group consisting of sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate, dichlorodunethyl hydantoin, bromochlorodimethyl hydantoin, trichloroisocyanuric acid, calcium hypochlorite, and lithium hypochlorite.

25. The method of claim 24, where the solid chlorinated compound is sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate.

26. The method of claim 21, where the cleaning and sanitizing composition is present in an amount sufficient to provide at least 100 parts per million available chlorine when dissolved in the given amount of water.

27. The method of claim 25, where the sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate is present in an amount from about 8% to about 12% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition.

28. The method of claim 21, where the cleaning and sanitizing composition further comprises sodium tripolyphosphate.

29. A method of cleaning and sanitizing dairy udder cloths, comprising washing the cloths in an aqueous medium comprising a given amount of water and an amount of cleaning and sanitizing composition comprising sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate sufficient to provide at least about 100 parts per million available chlorine when dissolved in the given amount of water.

30. The method of claim 29, where the sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate is present in an amount from about 8% to about 12% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition.

31. The method of claim 30, where the cleaning and sanitizing composition further comprises sodium tripolyphosphate.

32. A dairy udder cloth cleaning and sanitizing composition comprising (1) a solid chlorinated compound present in an amount from about 5% to about 15% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition, (2) at least one chelating agent, present in an amount from about 10% to about 35% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition, and (3) at least one carrier, present in an amount from about 20% to about 70% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition.

33. The composition of claim 32, where the solid chlorinated compound is dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate.

34. The composition of claim 32, where the solid chlorinated compound is present in an amount from about 8% to about 12% by weight of the cleaning and sanitizing composition.

35. The composition of claim 32, where the chelating agent is sodium tripolyphosphate.