Assessing the effects of incorporating bubbles into the water used for cleaning operations relevant to the food industry

Summary These studies examined the effects of incorporating bubbles of air in the water used for cleaning surfaces. Small (<50 μm) or large (millimetre) bubbles were used, and these could aid cleaning by a scrubbing action, energy release or free radical production. Small or large bubbles improved the removal of biofilm from steel surfaces by 1.0 log 10 or 1.6 log 10 , respectively. Biofilm removal from a polypropylene pipe wall was improved by 0.9 log 10 by incorporating bubbles into the cleaning water. Further trials showed increased removal of carbohydrate, fat and protein deposits from stainless steel by incorporating bubbles into the water. These results suggest that the use of air bubbles in water could provide small improvements in cleaning or potentially similar contamination removal using less water.