Evaluation of Concrete Sealant for the Elimination of Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus subtilis: A Poultry Processing Plant Model

This study was conducted to determine the efficiency of BioSealed for Concrete™ against C. perfringens and B. subtilis on concrete blocks. Concrete blocks were divided into four different treatments: A) No Biosealed application; B) Biosealed applied before inoculation; C) Biosealed applied after inoculation; or D) Biosealed applied before and after inoculation with C. perfringens and B. subtilis individually (Ca. 109 CFU/mL). The C. perfringens inoculated concrete blocks were then incubated at 37°C for 48 h anaerobically; while the B. subtilis inoculated concrete blocks were incubated at 37°C for 24 h aerobically. External and internal surfaces of the treated concrete blocks were swabbed for microbiological analysis. Significantly lower (p<0.05) populations of both microorganisms were observed for treatment groups C and D as compared to A and B on the external surface of the concrete blocks whereas, no significant differences (p>0.05) were observed between treatment groups A, B and C on the internal surfaces of the concrete blocks. No significant differences (p>0.05) were found when comparing groups A and B, while a dual application of Biosealed for Concrete™; pre- and post-inoculation showed the greatest reduction (p<0.05) on the external and internal surfaces of the concrete blocks. Results from this study indicated that Biosealed for Concrete™ has an immediate bactericidal effect on C. perfringens and B. subtilis and has the potential to be used in combination with other GMPʹs and sanitation practices to control bacterial colonization on concrete surfaces in a poultry processing plant.