TWO PACK SYSTEM FOR THE PREPARATION OF PERACID COMPOSITIONS FOR TEAT-DIPS

Abstract: A two pack system for the preparation of peracid compositions for the disinfection, cleaning and protection of cow's teats before and after milking. A first component of the product comprises an aqueous equilibrated solution of a lower aliphatic peracid and a second component comprises an aqueous solution containing an emolient, food grade fragrance, food grade dye, food grade thickening agent and alkali buffer. The two packs can be mixed to produce a consistant solution of known quality for reducing disease on cow's teats that is non-irritant, has low odour and/or contains a food grade fragrance and may be coloured, thickened, pH buffered and is effective for at least 24 hours after mixing.

Description: TWO PACK SYSTEM FOR THE PREPARATION OF PERACID COMPOSITIONS FOR TEAT-DIPS DESCRIPTION A two pack system for the preparation of peracid compositions for teat-dips. The present invention relates to the disinfection of cow's teats before and after milking to reduce bacteria and protect the skin. It relates in particular to improvements and additions to a prior Patent Application (Number 9720287.3; Filing Date 25-SEP-97) Dairy farmers milk cows two or in some cases three times per day. Although pre-milking disinfectants are now becoming more readily available the general practice is to spray or dip the teat after milking to reduce bacteria, reduce the risk of disease and problems with individual cows to ensure the best quality of milk. The teat-dip products available are largely based on chlorhexidine or iodine as the active disinfecting ingredient and generally contain emolients (moisturisers) to preserve the quality of the skin and prevent cracking or irritation. Peracetic acid has been used in the past with dilution from basic equilibrated formulations but can cause problems due to irritancy through too high concentrations, acidic pH and/or the absence of moisturisers to preserve skin quality. Peracetic acid can be formulated with emolients as is the case with a concentrated product, Upersan, available from Kesla Chemie GMBH in Germany, which requires a dilution of 1 part in 9 parts water prior to use and is claimed to be stable for 24 hours at ambient or 48 hours at 8°C. The product on dilution has an active peracetic acid level of approximately lOOOppm which is effective against bacteria, particularly mastitis and is non-irritant. The Kesla product has a number of limitations which the present invention overcomes. The first is that it is diluted with water of unknown quality which restricts its in-use life due to degradation and decomposition of the final diluted product. Although it has an acidic pH it is lower than the pH of cow's skin and increases the risk (if the dilution is not accurate) of irritancy due to pH. It has an unpleasant odour even after dilution and contains no colour which is of use to the farmer to indicate which teats have been treated. It also has no noticeable thickness or viscosity. According to the present invention all these limitations are overcome by using two separate packs made up of an equilibrated solution of peracetic acid and a second solution used to dilute the peracetic acid at the time of use. The second (diluent) solution is consistant in make-up and of known quality improving the claimed use life of the product. Patent Application (Number 9720287.3) refers to the inclusion of sodium hydroxide as an alkali buffer but it may be substituted with alternative alkali buffers such as bi-carbonates or other metal hydroxides. Furthermore the correct choice of peracetic acid may allow a lower quantity of alkali buffer to be included or omitted altogether whilst the two pack system allows recognised thickeners such as vegetable gums to be incorporated to further enhance the physical properties of the final in-use product. An example of the second diluent solution is that it contains a food grade fragrance in combination with emolients (skin moisturisers) and/or thickeners which would normally be expected to decompose the peracetic acid or be degraded due to reaction with the peracetic acid. It can also contain a dye that assists in identifying which teats have been treated but again would be expected to react directly with the peracetic acid and disappear (bleach) if supplied in a single pack. Correct choice and concentration of the fragrance and/or dye can also indicate the useful life of the final mixed solution through fading or disappearance after a set period prompting disposal and replacement with fresh product. The invention also focusses on the best choice of equilibrated peracetic acid solution with recommendation that it should contain the lowest possible ratio of peracetic acid to acetic acid to give a final in-use solution with a pH closer to that of the cow's skin and lower odour due to much lower levels of acetic acid. The addition of an alkali buffer such as metal hydroxide, carbonate or bi-carbonate can also be incorporated into the second (diluent) solution to improve the pH but is not essential if the correct initial peracetic acid grade is chosen. Based on current knowledge the combination of all these components in a single solution would result in an unstable product and therefore it is essential to separate the highly oxidising and potentially unstable peroxygen solution from the other components until the time of use. Dairy fanners can purchase the two separate packs safe in the knowledge that they can be stored for acceptable periods without degradation and only become active when combined. The final formulation can be prepared to ensure a visible indication (colour change eg. blue to clear) to the farmer that the solution is no longer viable and should be replaced. This invention concerns a two pack system for preparing teat-dip compositions and uses of such compositions. More particular the present invention concerns compositions comprising dilute aqueous solutions of lower aliphatic peracids and their use as teat-dip compositions. This invention relates specifically to combining solutions of peracetic acid with components that are likely to cause destabilisation or incompatibility over prolonged periods (greater than seven days). The two pack system allows the compositions that are considered destabilising or incompatible to be segregated prior to mixing at the time of use. In addition to segregating the various components on the grounds that the overall shelf-life expectancy of the respective products will be extended it also takes into account the best ratio of components in the peracetic acid ( peracetic acid, acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide and water) to provide a final solution that is effective for at least 24 hours after mixing and preferably one week, non-irritant, has low odour and/or contains a food acceptable fragrance, may be coloured, thickened and pH buffered. I claim: -

Claims: CLAIMS 1. An aqueous solution for the cleaning, disinfection and protection of cow's teats both before (pre-milking) and after milking (post-milking) made up from the mixing of components from two separate packs comprising one pack containing an aqueous solution of a lower aliphatic peracid with a second aqueous solution comprising components expected to destabilise or exhibit incompatibility with an aliphatic peracid on long-term storage (> 7 days). 2. A solution as claimed in 1, wherein the first aqueous solution comprises a (C 2 -Co) aliphatic peracid in an amount from 0.1% to 7% by weight. 3. A solution as claimed in 1, wherein the first aqueous solution comprises a ( C 2 -C 9 ) aliphatic peracid in an amount from 0.1% to 5% by weight. 4. A solution as claimed in 2. or 3, wherein the aliphatic peracid comprises peracetic acid. 5. A solution as claimed in 2. 3, or 4 wherein the ratio of peracetic acid to acetic acid (percentage by weight) is between one to one and one to fifteen. 6. A solution as claimed in 2, 3, 4, or 5 wherein the ratio of peracetic acid to acetic acid (percentage by weight) is between one to one and one to three. 7. A solution as claimed in 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 wherein the ratio of peracetic acid to acetic acid (percentage by weight) is between one to one and one to two. 8. A solution as claimed in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 wherein the ratio of peracetic acid to hydrogen peroxide (percentage by weight) is between one to one and one to twelve. 9. A solution as claimed in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 wherein the ratio of peracetic acid to hydrogen peroxide(percentage by weight) is between one to three and one to twelve. 10. A solution as claimed in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 wherein the ratio of peracetic acid to hydrogen peroxide (percentage by weight) is between one to six and one to twelve. 11. A solution as claimed in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 wherein the ratio of peracetic acid to hydrogen peroxide (percentage by weight) is between one to ten and one to twelve. 12. A solution as claimed in 1. wherein the second aqueous solution comprises 5.0 % to 50.0 % by weight emolient ( skin moisturiser). Examples such as 1, 2, 3 - propane triol ; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 - hexanehexol or gh/ceryl diacetate. 13. A solution as claimed in 1, or 12 wherein the second aqueous solution comprises between 5.0% and 20.0% by weight emolient ( skin moisturiser). Examples such as 1, 2, 3 - propane triol ; 1. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 - hexanehexol or gh/cerol diacetate. 14. A solution as claimed in 1, 12 or 13 wherein the second aqueous solution comprises between 0.0001 % and 0.5 % by weight of a food grade fragrance. 15. A solution as claimed in 1, 12, 13, or 14 wherein the second solution comprises between 0.001 % and 0.1 % by weight of a food grade fragrance. 16. A solution as claimed in 1, 12, 13, 14, or 15 wherein the second solution comprises between 0.0001 % and 0.5 % by weight of a food grade dye. 17. A solution as claimed in 1, 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16 wherein the second aqueous solution comprises between 0.0001 % and 0.1 % by weight of a food grade dye. 18. A solution as claimed in 1, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17 wherein the second aqueous solution comprises between 0.01 % and 50.0 % by weight of a food grade thickening agent. 19. A solution as claimed in 1, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, or 18 wherein the second aqueous solution comprises between 0.01 % and 20.0 % by weight of a food grade thickening agent. 20. A solution as claimed in 1, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 1 , or 19 wherein the second aqueous solution comprises between 0.01% and 10.0% by weight of a food grade thickening agent. 21. A solution as claimed in 1, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 wherein the second aqueous solution comprises between 0.001% and 5.0% by weight alkali buffering agent. 22. A solution as claimed in 1, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 or 21 wherein the second aqueous solution comprises between 0.001% and 0.5% by weight alkali buffering agent. 23. A final mixed solution combining the first aqueous solution as claimed in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 with the second aqueous solution as claimed in 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 or 22 where the ratio of the first aqueous solution to the second aqueous solution is between one in five and one in sixty. 24. A final mixed solution combining the first aqueous solution as claimed in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 with the second aqueous solution as claimed in 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 or 22 where the ratio of the first aqueous solution to the second aqueous solution is between one in nine and one in forty five. 25. A final mixed solution combining the first aqueous solution as claimed in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 with the second aqueous solution as claimed in 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, or 22 where the ratio of the first aqueous solution to the second aqueous solution is between one in twenty five and one in thirty five. 26. A final mixed solution combining the first aqueous solution as claimed in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 with the second aqueous solution as claimed in 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, or 25 where the initial concentration of peracetic acid on mixing is between 0.01 % and 0.2 % (by weight). 27. A final mixed solution combining the first aqueous solution as claimed in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 with the second aqueous solution as claimed in 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, or 25 where the initial concentration of peracetic acid on mixing is between 0.03 % and 0.12 % (by weight).

Inventors: SIMMS ROBERT ASHLEY, SIMMS, ROBERT, ASHLEY
Applicants: SIMMS ROBERT ASHLEY, SIMMS, ROBERT, ASHLEY
Application year: 1998
Main classification: A01N37
IPC codes: A01N37