Biofilm

The Netzym Project

"NETZYM" arose from a 2-year European collaboration between Realco and 2 scientific partners:

the UCL (Université Catholique de Louvain) [Catholic University of Louvain] and the INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique) [National Institute for Agronomy Research].

Realco has specially developed the BIOREM product range allowing the preventative and curative treatment of biofilms.

Biofilm

A biofilm is a protective matrix produced by, and containing, bacteria which stick to surfaces and represent a constant source of contamination in the agri-food industry.

This biofilm is created by the accumulation of bacteria which will develop a protective cocoon made up of organic polymers (EPS): polysaccharides and proteins.

Biofilm

Biofilms are highly resistant to traditional cleaning and disinfection protocols. Once they reach maturity, they will release into the system, contaminating the whole facility.

The biofilm develops over various surfaces: exchangers, tanks, cooling systems, food pipes, membrane filters, etc.

In short, the biofilm is very difficult to detect and remove with traditional cleaning methods.

A problematic cohabitation

Currently, in the industrial sector, biofilm represents a real problem. In fact, the traditional methods do not allow it to be removed effectively (chemical shocks with sodium, acid, chlorine, etc.).

In some cases, biofilms are responsible for serious contaminations of finished products, entailing significant consequences which could end up with the closure of problematic production lines.

The problems associated with biofilms not treated effectively in facilities are:

A permanent and unforeseeable risk of contamination of productions in contact with the biofilm (infected batches aside);
A continued development of the biofilm which will colonise other portions of the facility by release;
Rapid deterioration to the equipment by very aggressive traditional treatments for the equipment (with limited effectiveness). This deterioration of the surfaces is accentuated by the biocorrosion caused by the biofilms;
An increase in the roughness of the surfaces constituting new anchoring points for the contaminants present in the flows;
Clogging of membranes in the membrane filter facilities resulting in losses of flows.

Up to now, biofilms have been a persistent and unforeseeable threat for manufacturers, who have had to accommodate this undesirable cohabitation.

BIOREM 's enzyme-based treatment allows this source of insecurity to be removed thereby ensuring an additional guarantee of quality.

REALCO's enzyme-based solution

The bacteria (red dots) will produce a viscous protective matrix (slime). This is the structure of the biofilm. The bacteria are embedded into its structure.

The enzyme-based detergent will optimally clean and prepare the surfaces for application of a registered disinfectant. The bacteria/micro-organisms will then be killed during the disinfection stage of biofilm treatment process.

As a result, the combination of our cleaning solution with an EPA-registered disinfectant will fully remove a biofilm contamination.

Biofilm

The system is purified of any contamination associated with the biofilm, guaranteeing perfect hygiene.


Biofilm before treatment	Biofilm after traditional treatment	Biofilm after enzyme-based treatment

True effectiveness
Non-aggressiveness for the equipment and the users
Protocol which can be integrated into the existing cleaning procedure easily and when required.
Additional quality guarantee

REALCO's expertise

REALCO offers full and customised support:

audit of the facility: assessment, location and quantification of the contamination;
determining the BIOREM enzyme-based cleaning protocol: curative treatment;
plan and frequency of preventative treatment, assessed according to the biofilm's propensity to reform itself and recontaminate the facility, in order to make the facility secure on a daily basis.