RESIDUES OF TEGO(R)-2000 DISINFECTANT ON SELECTED SURFACES

The amount of residue of the disinfectant Tego(R) 2000 on V(2)A steel, glass, aluminium and polyethylene depends on the concentration of the surface-active agent, the amount of rinsing water, the temperature of the water, the drying time (rinsing immediately or rinsing after dryi ng begins) and the material involved. Glass was found to have the smal lest residues, followed by v(2)A steel, aluminum and polyethylene. The curves for the disinfectant solution with a low concentration (0.1%) were flatter; even after using almost 200 ml/m(2) the residue level wa s much lower than when using a concentrated solution (1%). As the temp erature of the water increased the residues became less. The best resu lts were obtained with hot water (55 degrees C) immediately after the reaction period. Letting the disinfectant begin to dry had a drastic e ffect on rinsing. A rinsing level of 81/m(2) as discussed int he liter ature does not meet the requirements of the relevant regulations, i.e. that cleaners and disinfectants should be so thoroughly rinsed away ( appendix 2, meat hygiene regulations) that only ''technologically unav oidable'' quantities are left [ 31 food and commodities regulations - Lebensmittel-und Bedarfsgegenstandegesetz (LMBG)]. From a toxicologica l point of view the residue of 4.2 mg which, under the chosen experime ntal conditions, can be transferred from polythene to a piece of meat under the most unfavourable conditions - no rising, complete material exchange - only amounts to about half of the ADI value of 8.75 mg dete rmined for Tego(R) 2000. This cannot be a danger to health as the ADI, by its very definition, gives the rolerable daily intake and in any c ase the example above is an individual extreme case. The health risk f rom faulty hygiene (e.g. no disinfection) would be much greater.