CLEANING MILKING SYSTEMS USING ELECTROLYZED OXIDIZING WATER

Abstract

Electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water is a novel cleaning and disinfecting agent, produced by separating a weaksodium chloride solution into alkaline and acidic components. A pilot-scale pipeline milking system was soiled using raw milkinoculated with common microorganisms. The milking system was then washed with alkaline EO water followed by acidicEO water. After cleaning, the effectiveness of the EO water treatment was evaluated by ATP bioluminescence andmicrobiological analysis. A 10 min wash with 60C alkaline EO water followed by a 10 min wash with 60C acid EO watersuccessfully removed all detectable bacteria and ATP from the non-porous milk contact surfaces. Shorter treatment times(5 and 7.5 min) with EO water were also evaluated, along with a control treatment using conventional dairy cleaningchemicals. There were no significant differences between the 10 min and 7.5 min EO water treatments and the conventionaltreatment. In a longer-term soiling-washing simulation, only the 7.5 min EO water treatment was evaluated after ten soilingand cleaning cycles, and it was compared with a conventional cleaning treatment. The 7.5 min EO water treatment did notacceptably clean the milking system, but longer treatment times were not attempted. Overall, results indicate that EO waterhas the potential to be used as a cleaning and sanitizing agent for CIP cleaning of on-farm milking systems.