Targeted Delivery of Nature-Inspired Antimicrobials Using Nanostructures Achieved 5-log Reductions of E. coli

A new nano-carrier technology, for the targeted and precise the delivery of antimicrobials for sterilization of surfaces in the food industry, was developed using Engineered Water Nanostructures (EWNS). An aqueous suspension of an active ingredient (AI) was used to synthesize iEWNS (the ‘i’ denoting the AI) that are: i) engineered to have a nanoscale size; ii) have excessive electric surface charge, and iii) contain both the reactive oxygen species (ROS) formed due to the ionization of deionized (DI) water, and the AI used in their synthesis. A number of nature-inspired antimicrobials, such as H2O2, lysozyme, citric acid, and their combination, were used to synthesize a variety of iEWNS-based nano-sanitizers. The technology achieved 5-log reductions of E. coli in just minutes of exposure time with hydrogen peroxide, citric acid, and lysozyme. This aerosol-based, yet ‘dry’ intervention approach using iEWNS nano-carrier platform offers advantages over current ‘wet’ techniques that are prevalent commercially, which require grams of the AI to achieve similar inactivation, leading to increased chemical risks and chemical waste byproducts. Such a targeted nano-carrier approach has the potential to revolutionize the delivery of antimicrobials for sterilization in the food industry. @ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956713518304985?dgcid=rss_sd_all