ADJUVANT FOR A CLEANING FORMULATION AND FORMULATION COMPRISING SAID ADJUVANT

Abstract: The invention relates to an adjuvant suitable for cleaning-in-place cleaning formulations, said adjuvant comprising a calcium sequestrant, an oxygen releasing agent, and/or an iron sequestrant.

Description: ADJUVANT FOR A CLEANING FORMULATION AND FORMULATION COMPRISING SAID ADJUVANT Field of the invention The present invention relates to an adjuvant suitable for a cleaning formulation for example an adjuvant suitable for cleaning-in-place and spray-cleaning formulations, and to a cleaning formulation comprising said adjuvant. Background of the invention Cleaning-in-place, CIP, is a fully automatic process to clean and disinfect the inner surfaces of processing equipment. It involves the circulation and recirculation of rinse water, cleaning and disinfecting solutions through the processing equipment, without dismantling the equipment. The passage of liquid with high velocity generates a mechanical abrasion effect and helps to dislodge the soil deposits from the equipment. Most cleaning operations in the dairy industry utilize the CIP technique. Currently existing cleaning-in-place formulations, particularly cleaning formulations based on caustic soda, comprise the chelating agent EDTA. However EDTA is environmentally suspect, i.e. it is not readily biodegradable and can cause heavy metal transitions. In order to obviate the environmental problem associated with these cleaning formulations, MGDA (methylglycine di- acetic acid) has been developed as a replacement for EDTA. However MGDA containing cleaning formulations, often leave areas of visual discoloration on the equipment, for instance taking the form of greasy spots and fatty areas. These can be a breeding ground for micro-biological organisms, whereby contamination of milk flowing through the processing equipment, for example, is possible. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved adjuvant for cleaning formulations. Definition of the invention According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an adjuvant according to claim 1. According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a cleaning formulation suitable for cleaning- in-place techniques according to claim 6. Detailed description of the invention Tests which have been carried out by the inventors, have shown that the adjuvant of the invention has an improved cleaning effect, when present in a suitable cleaning formulation. The adjuvant according to the present invention is preferably used in combination with a caustic soda based cleaning in place formulation, in order to optimize cleaning in place. Preferred formulation features are set out in the claims 6- 16, which features yield optimum cleaning results. The invention will now be described by way of the following experimental results which were obtained on using the cleaning formulation according to the present invention to clean milk pasteurizing equipment in the laboratory. 34 tests were carried out, which are summarized in the table. cleaning(%) after min i 10. _15. _21 _2A -JuQ. 82 92 97 98 99 99 90 93 95 96 96 96 80 88 92 96 96 96 30 47 63 70 87 90 82 92 97 98 99 99 78 83 92 96 99 100 96 97 97 99 100 100 68 85 88 92 96 99 0.04 0.05 95 97 98 98 98 98 0.07 0.10 0.14 0.17 98 98 98 98 98 98 0.26 0.35 0.01 0.10 95 98 98 100 100 100 0.25 0.50 1.00 90 95 98 100 100 100 2.00 80 94 96 98 98 98 3.00 58 77 85 87 94 96 4.00 5.00 95 98 100 100 100 100 34 0.50 0.30 0.07 0.10 98 98 99 99 99 100 Reference N£,EPTA(%; 35 0.50 0.30 94 97 100 100 100 100

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Adjuvant suitable for cleaning-in-place cleaning formulations, said adjuvant comprising a calcium sequestrant and an additive selected from the group consisting of an oxygen releasing agent, an iron sequestrant and mixtures thereof. 2. Adjuvant according to claim 1, wherein the calcium sequestrant is MGDA. 3. Adjuvant according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the oxygen releasing agent is hydrogen peroxide. 4. Adjuvant according to one of the previous claims, wherein the iron sequestrant is gluconic acid or soluble salts thereof. 5. Adjuvant according to claim 4, wherein the soluble salt of gluconic acid is sodium gluconate. 6. Formulation suitable for cleaning-in-place, comprising an adjuvant according to one of the previous claims. 7. Formulation according to claim 6, being based on caustic soda. 8. Formulation according to claims 6 or 7, wherein MGDA is present in a weight percentage of between 0.20 to 1.0%. 9. Formulation according to claim 8 , wherein the MGDA is present in a weight percentage of 0.30%. 10. Formulation according to one or more of the claims 6-9, wherein hydrogen peroxide is present in a weight percentage of between 0.10 to 0.50%. 11. Formulation according to claim 10, wherein the hydrogen peroxide is present in a weight percentage of 0.20%. 12. Formulation according to one or more of the claims 6- 11, wherein sodium gluconate is present in a weight percentage between 0.01 to 10.0%. 13. Formulation according to claim 12, wherein sodium gluconate is present in a weight percentage between 0.10 and 1.0%. 14. Formulation according to any of the claims 6-13, wherein caustic soda is present in a weight percentage between 0.10 to 1.50%. 15. Formulation according to claim 14, wherein caustic soda is present in a weight percentage of 0.50%. 16. Formulation according to one or more of the claims 6- 15. said formulation being a cleaning-in-place formulation. 17. Use of a formulation according to one or more of the claims 6-16 for cleaning in place. 18. Use of an adjuvant according to any of the claims 1-3, in a cleaning formulation according to one or more of the claims 6-16.

Inventors: DE GOEDEREN GIJSBERTUS, JONKER REMCO E, PRITCHARD NORMAN JASON, DE GOEDEREN, GIJSBERTUS, JONKER, REMCO, E., PRITCHARD, NORMAN, JASON
Applicants: UNILEVER NV, UNILEVER PLC, UNILEVER N.V.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: C11D7
IPC codes: C11D3, C11D7