Removal of mixed-species biofilms developed on food contact surfaces with a mixture of enzymes and chemical agents

Sanicip Bio Control (SBC) is a novel product developed in Mexico for biofilms’ removal. The aims of this study were to evaluate (i) the removal of mixed-species biofilms by enzymatic (protease and α-amylase, 180 MWU/g) and chemical treatments (30 mL/L SBC, and 200 mg/L peracetic acid, PAA) and (ii) their effectiveness against planktonic cells. Mixed-species biofilms were developed on stainless steel (SS) and polypropylene B (PP) in whole milk (WM), tryptic soy broth (TSB) with meat extract (TSB+ME), and TSB with chicken egg yolk (TSB+EY) to simulate the food processing environment. On SS, all biofilms were removed after treatments, except the enzymatic treatment that only reduced 1–2 log₁₀ CFU/cm², whereas on PP, the reductions ranged between 0.59 and 5.21 log₁₀ CFU/cm², being the biofilms developed in TSB+EY being resistant to the cleaning and disinfecting process. Higher reductions in microbial load on PP were reached using enzymes, SBC, and PAA. The employed planktonic cells were markedly more sensitive to PAA and SBC than were the sessile cells. In conclusion, biofilm removal from SS can be achieved with SBC, enzymes, or PAA. It is important to note that the biofilm removal was strongly affected by the food contact surfaces (FCSs) and surrounding media.