Factory farming is accompanied by various problems which often can only be solved with the massive deployment of medicines, which in turn leads to a general weakening of organisms and cannot prevent high mortality rates. ProVigoro products offer a natural way out, since by ingesting ProVigoro products together with drinking water or feed, on the one hand, the pressure of infection from feed is reduced and on the other, animals are strengthened through bioflavonoids. The results are a high degree of animal health, lower mortality and a better feed-to-weight relationship.

Products and Applications

ProVigoro WA is a fluid products which may be added to drinking water for poultry or pigs.

ProVigoro FL004 is a product in powdered form based on oatmeal, which may be added to normal feed.

ProVigoro 14WP is a disinfectant based on organic acids, which may be used in stables through disinfection via atomisation. ProVigoro 14WP can also be used to disinfect eggs through spraying or atomisation in incubators.

ProSino stands for a Citrox product range in the field of cleaning and disinfection. Unlike for chemical cleaning and disinfection agents, only natural and bio-friendly raw materials are used in this product programme. The disinfectant effect is achieved through organic acids. The high degree of dissolution of dirt, including the detachment/destruction of biofilms, rests on the extremely high creep capability of the bioflavonoid composition. Bitter orange extract has already been used for decades in cold cleansers, which can even dissolve extreme oil and fat contamination in engines.

At the same time, however, through the selection of raw materials via the ProSino products and the high degree of biological degradability, the complex equilibrium within biogas facilities is not disturbed.

The ProSino product programme also includes disinfectants based on organic acids which can be deployed in disinfecting services and production rooms through atomisation. A significant advantage of ProSino products also lies in the fact that they can be transported without problems. Through their natural components, ProSino products are not hazardous products and can be shipped by any regular transport route.

• A range of Naturally derived cleaning and sanitising products
• Efficient cleaning properties
• Effective sanitising action possessing wide spectrum anti-bactericidal and anti-virucidal properties
• Unique patented technology
• Comparable performance against standard synthetically derived products
• Competitive cost at “in use” concentrations
• Comprehensive and free technical service
• Provision of unique dry fogging and misting equipment

(Gardia system)

ProSino products Background

• Citrox Ltd technology incorporates a truly holistic approach designed to increase effectiveness in terms of both performance and health and safety considerations
• ProSino products are naturally derived using extremely safe and environmentally eco friendly ingredients.
• “Citrox” can offer “systems” which can be used across the whole operation in the hospitality, food hygiene and personal care sectors.
• “Citrox” can also supply dry fogging equipment based on patented technology (Gardia fogging system)
• “Citrox” has extensive international field experience to enable the client to achieve the most cost effective “package” both in terms of technical performance and economics.

  Benefits of the ProSino range

• Manufactured using naturally derived ingredients
  • Broad spectrum anti-bactericidal, anti-virucidal and anti-sporicidal activity
  • Non-toxic, hypo-allergenic, non-mutagenic, non tainting, non-carcinogenic, non hazardous to humans
  • Completely biodegradable (complies with European REACH regulation)
• Very effective antimicrobialprocessing aid
  • Eliminates a wide range of bacteria
  • Breaks down biofilm
  • Strong residual effect
  • Effective in the presence of organic matter
  • Leaves no toxic residue
  • Non-tainting
  • Safe to use on all surfaces and fabrics
• Long residual effect
  • Prevents re-contamination for a longer period of time (up to 8 hours)
• Does not contain toxic chemicals and the products are non-corrosive
• Easy to store
• Completely safe to use

A Background to Cleaning and Sanitising using both conventional and ProSino products

            Hard Surfaces

            (A) Conventional systems

• When using conventional products there are different steps to follow when cleaning and sanitising surfaces

Cleaning/disinfecting; broken down

Alkaline cleaning (removing organic matters) / First rinse

Acid cleaning (remove mineral matters) / Second rinse

Disinfection / Final rinse

Note – The procedures for cleaning are different depending on whether the equipment is cleaned out of place (COP), e.g. hand-cleaned, or cleaned in place (CIP)

• The disinfection phase: It is important to know;
  • Which micro-organisms are of concern as the bacteria   (gram+ or gram-), spores, yeasts, fungi and viruses react  differently to disinfectants
  • pH and temperature of the environment to sanitise

            (B) ProSino based systems

• Many of the steps can be reduced to eliminate the number of rinse cycles. This gives the opportunity to optimise the operation which in turn reduces operational time and optimises costs.
• The use of the ProSino products have much reduced health and safety issues which is a major operational benefit

Ambient Air

            (A) Conventional methods

• Micro-organisms are carried by dust in the air. This can cause contamination of surfaces and foodstuffs
• Ventilation systems are normally designed and constructed so that air does not flow from contaminated areas to “clean areas” and where necessary, they can be adequately maintained and cleaned
• After gross debris is removed the decontamination in many cases can only be carried out using hazardous, toxic, often corrosive chemicals. In such cases the operators need to use sophisticated protection including breathing equipment.

            (B) ProSino Products

• After gross debris has been removed decontamination can be affected in many cases without resorting to the use of sophisticated clothing or breathing equipment. This means that the decontamination in many cases can be carried out in the presence of operators / staff.
• The application of the Gardia dry fogging system, also means that “Citrox” can guarantee that all surfaces can be effectively decontaminated (including ventilation systems, refrigeration systems and CIP systems) (ie) the system produces small sub micron particles which effectively act as a “gas” covering uniformly all cavities and associated  surfaces.

Personal Hygiene

            (A) Conventional

• All persons should wash and sanitise their hands upon entering food handling areas (ie) before starting work, after handling contaminated materials, after break and after using toilet facilities to minimise microbiological contamination
• Garments like gloves and face masks should be disinfected at intervals throughout the day
• These product in many cases (eg hand sanitisers) are invariably based mainly on alcohol based solutions of toxic synthetic biocides

            (B) ProSino Products

• The ProSino range is based on alcohol free solutions of our unique non toxic biocide.
• The ProSino range also offers greater long lasting residual protection (up to 4 hours)

Summary of Drawbacks with Conventional
Products and the Benefits of using The ProSino Range

• The drawbacks to using conventional cleaners and sanitisers are;

For many years chlorine, quaternaries and caustic soda and mineral acid based products have been the standard, cheap chemicals of choice. These products have been used to clean and decontaminate food processing facilities, and to reduce the risk of infections. It is now however, known and generally acknowledged, that these products are invariably corrosive and pose significant health and safety problems

• The use of chlorine has already been banned in organic food processing, and this ban will extend to all foodstuffs in due course. Further it is inevitable that many caustic soda and mineral acid derivatives will be subject to similar pressure. Note – similar concerns are also emerging with respect to the use of ‘hard’ synthetic detergents, particularly with those which possess poor biodegradability and are also compromised on health and safety grounds

            Conclusion

• The use of the ProSino range eliminates the problems related to using synthetic products which have serious ecological, corrosive and toxic properties
• The ProSino range also eliminates the use of combinations of alkaline and mineral acid “built” products, thus simplifying the range considerably.

 The ProSino Product Range

1) Cleaner and sanitisers

• ProSino Cleaner Sanitiser – Biosan

Non toxic, hypoallergenic product for the cleaning, disinfection and sanitising of all surfaces and fabrics. Has strong anti-bactericidal, anti-virucidal    and anti-sporicidal activity.

• ProSino Waste Bin Sanitiser/Deodoriser –

Non hazardous powder product for the control of odours and micro organisms in waste bins, skinks and waste outlets. Has strong anti-bactericidal, anti-virucidal and anti-sporicidal activity.

• ProSino Combined Machine Tray/Dishwash Detergent and Sanitiser

Low toxicity, non caustic, non corrosive. Has strong anti-bactericidal, anti-virucidal and anti-sporicidal activity.

• ProSino Machine Tray/Dishwash Rinse Aid

Low toxicity, low alcohol content, for use in conjunction with tray/dishwash machine detergent. ProSinoTM Machine Tray/Dishwash Rinse Aid has strong anti-bactericidal, anti-virucidal and anti-sporicidal activity.

• ProSino Biological Drain Cleaner

Biological fat/oil digester for drain cleaning and deodorising has strong anti-bactericidal, anti-virucidal and anti-sporicidal activity.

• ProSino Heavy Duty High Foaming Cleaner Sanitiser – 14XP

            Heavy duty, low toxicity high foaming biocidal acid cleaner/sanitiser has strong anti-bactericidal, anti-virucidal and anti-sporicidal activity. Effective on floors, walls, equipment, utensils (etc).

• ProSino Heavy Duty Low Foaming Cleaner Sanitiser – 14TP

            Heavy duty, low toxicity, low-foaming biocidal acid cleaner/sanitiser has strong anti-bactericidal, anti-virucidal and anti-sporicidal activity. Effective on floors, walls, equipment and particularly applicable for C.I.P cleaning in food factories.

• ProSino Terminal Rinse Sanitiser – 14WPS2

            Non toxic, hypoallergenic sanitiser has strong anti-bactericidal, anti-virucidal and anti-sporicidal activity. Suitable for direct food contact

• ProSino Dry misting solution – DMS

            Non toxic, sanitiser solution designed to be used through the Gardia dry fogging system. The product has strong anti-bactericidal, anti-virucidal and anti-sporicidal activity. Effective on floors, walls, equipment and particularly applicable for C.I.P cleaning – note the product is safe to use in the presence of operators and the public generally.

 2)  Personal Care Products

• ProSino Medicated Hand Wipes

Alcohol free all purpose cleaning/disinfecting wet wipes; for use on all surfaces and fabrics. Non toxic and hypoallergenic. Has strong anti-bactericidal, anti-virucidal and anti-sporicidal activity.

• ProSino Alcohol Free Hand Sanitiser Gel

Unique hand sanitiser, combining natural biocides for a “quick knockdown effect”. Long lasting residual effect, non toxic and hypoallergenic. Has strong anti-bactericidal, anti-virucidal and anti-sporicidal activity.

• ProSino Low Alcohol Hand Sanitiser Gel

Unique hand sanitiser, combining natural biocides for a “quick knockdown effect”. Long lasting residual effect, non toxic and hypoallergenic. Has strong anti-bactericidal, anti-virucidal and anti-sporicidal activity.

• ProSino Alcohol Free Hand Sanitiser Foam

Unique hand sanitiser, combining natural biocides for a “quick knockdown effect”. Long lasting residual effect, non toxic and hypoallergenic. Has strong anti-bactericidal, anti-virucidal and anti-sporicidal activity.

• ProSino Medicated Hand Soap

is a unique naturally derived, alcohol free antibacterial hand soap. Cleans and sanitises effectively hands to avoid cross contamination. Has strong anti-bactericidal, anti-virucidal and anti-sporicidal activity.

Summary of Applications

ProSino cleaners and sanitisers can be used safely whenever efficient surface hygiene and cleaning is required.

The ProGarda product programme was initially developed to wash salads and vegetables before further processing and in so doing, to replace the previously used chlorine products. The significant defect of all conventional solutions was and is that microorganisms cannot be entirely destroyed by chemical means without seriously damaging these foods. The use of pure water, even in high quantities, is unable, however, to reduce bacterial contamination to a reasonable degree.

Due to the special formulation, the ProGarda product programme can dissolve adhering microorganisms and biofilms and hence significantly improve the effectiveness of the washing process.

This product programme has been consistently extended over time, so that today, many areas of food production can be covered by it. Through the application of special organic acids, our Citrox product programme has achieved outstanding and harmless solutions, including to complex tasks in the food industry, such as room disinfection through atomisation: please refer to the ProSino product programme.

Products and applications

ProGarda 14T is a washing supplement based on organic acids for closed pore products: products with firm rinds, such as potatoes, cucumbers, apples, etc., which extend shelf life.

ProGarda 14WP is a washing supplement based on organic acids for open pore products, such as salads, cut vegetables, fruit but also meat and fish products, etc. which extend shelf life.

ProGarda FL001 is a product supplement (natural fruit extract, natural aroma extract) which is a natural antioxidant for extending the shelf life of different foods and is used e.g. in marinades or sauces.

• Farmers and fresh produce processors use thousands of tonnes of chemicals to treat their fruits and vegetables every year.
• Inevitably some of the chemicals remain on the food as undesirable residues.
• In addition to the chemical residues problem, the risk of contamination is increased because the produce is repeatedly handled during preparation packing and transport. It has been estimated that as many as twenty people may have handled produce before it reaches the consumer.
• Even where produce has been organically grown it can be exposed to deposits from vehicle exhaust fumes, atmospheric grime and insects.
• In many establishments preparing produce, the treatment given is no more than a water wash, and this has little effect since the substances applied during farming are designed not to be washed off by rainfall.
• Clearly a more powerful and more effective washing agent is needed to remove these harmful, and potentially toxic, residues.

• ProGarda™ 14WP has been specifically formulated to treat fruits and vegetables:

• Post-harvest at the farm
• At the processing plant

• ProGarda™ Fruit & Vegetable Decontaminant (ref. 14WP) is specifically designed for the decontamination of fresh cut and open structured fruit and vegetables. All of the ingredients are naturally derived, GMO free, food grade, plant origin and come from self sustaining crop sources.

Benefits – ProGarda™

• Manufactured using naturally derived ingredients
  • Completely biodegradable
  • Permitted for use in organic processing (ECOCERT & NOP)
  • New market opportunities (local & export)
• Very effective antimicrobialprocessing aid
  • Eliminates a wide range of bacteria
  • Breaks down biofilm
  • Improves the quality of fresh and pre-cut products
  • Leaves no toxic residue
• Long residual effect
  • Prevents re-contamination for a longer period of time
  • Reduces water usage
• Does not contain any toxic chemicals and non-corrosive
  • Easy to store
  • Completely safe to use
• Does not change the taste or colour of the produce

Biodegradability

• ProGarda™ Fruit & Vegetable Decontaminant products (14WP and 14T) are amongst the most readily biodegradable decontaminants commercially available.

Test method

• U.S. “Standard Test for Determining the Anaerobic Biodegradation Potential of Organic Chemicals” ASTM Standards, Section 11, (Water and Environmental Technology), procedure E 1196-2 pp879-901, 1993

The biofilm effect

• The problem
  • The growth of biofilms on foods and food preparation surfaces is a potential health risk.
  • Attached micro-organisms are more resistant to conventional treatments than mobile material.
  • By way of example benzalkonium chloride destroys free Listeria cells in 30 secondes but attached colonies (biofilm) survive 20 minutes.

  

• The solution
  • Citrox products are powerful enough to remove the biofilm, kill the contained bacteria and provide residual effect to prevent further infection.
  • Build up of attached bacteria can develop substantial resistance to cleaning and sanitisation if allowed to develop over many hours.
  • Cleaning programmes MUST take the build up of biofilms into account when cleaning schedules are being determined, particularly over weekends.

  

Toxicity data

Toxicity comparison

• A comparison has been made to demonstrate the difference between ProGarda™ natural active compounds and synthetic quaternaries.

• Based on the above tests Benzalkonium Chloride, tested at equivalent cationic concentrations (25% w/w), is up to five times more toxic per concentration level, for the cells tested than ProGarda™.

Microbiological activity

• Tests have been carried out all over the world on ProGarda™ products, and have universally reported on their favourable characteristics for a wide range of uses.
• However it is essential, for customers’ reassurance and confidence, that tests should be carried out under the most rigorous, industry standard, conditions.
• For this reason we have had ProGarda™ produce decontaminants tested under the Standard European Suspension Test system. Many commercial products, which were acceptable under earlier and less rigorous tests, have failed under this new, more severe, test schedule i.e. they can only achieve a 102 reduction.

The European Suspension Test BS EN 1276: 1997

• This test requires that the product be effective at pathogen loading levels of up to 107, and to give 5-log reductions from this high level of initial contamination. Also, where the pathogen loading is not as initially severe (less than 107), and hence a 5-log reduction requirement is not realistic, the test looks for a reduction to a very low final pathogen level of less than 102.
• The tests were all carried out by completely independent laboratories.

Tests for minimum inhibitory concentrations

These tests were conducted on a range of micro-organisms (bacteria & fungi) and established minimum inhibitory concentrations for the basic ProGarda™ actives.

Other certifications

In addition to the above successful tests, ProGarda™ 14WP is ECOCERT approved for “post harvest disinfection” and conforms to (EC) 834/2007 & 889/2008 regulations

Microbiological Activity ProGarda™ 14WP

• ProGarda™ 14WP is a highly effective, completely non-toxic, wash for fruits & vegetables.
• The product has been used successfully by dipping, spraying and fogging techniques. Where large quantities of soft tissue produce (i.e. strawberries) have to be treated the use of a fogging technique has been found to give maximum utilisation efficiency (by factors of 3 to 5).

Microbiological activity ProGarda™ 14T

• ProGarda™ 14T is a highly effective, completely non-toxic, wash for skinned fruits and vegetables.
• The product has been used successfully by dipping, spraying and fogging techniques.

Sensory advantage

(Trialled Against Other Commercially Available Products)

Visual quality scores over a 5-day trial

Key benefits

1. No change

2. Slight edge or vein effects

3. Marked surface effects

4. Gross discolouration

Essentially, the same principle holds for agriculture as for humans: a healthy organism is able to cope with most infections.

At the same time conventional agriculture works with extreme medicines which may not only inhibit the natural defences of plants – a higly complex system of Phytoalexins – but also completely block them.

Plants have a highly complex self-defence system through phytoalexins. Very many conventional fungicides and pesticides reduce the build-up of phytoalexins for protecting against infections. The consequence is an ongoing weakening of the systematic resistance of plants.

The targeted deployment of bioflavonoids can support self-defence, through the formation of phytoalexins, leading to induced systematic building of resistance. This systematically acquired resistance then protects not only affected parts of plants but also those parts which have not yet been infected against future infections. Healthier plants naturally also produce healthier fruit with higher sugar content.

Products and Applications

ProAlexin PNS001 is a plant aid (with an individual authorisation in Austria pursuant to §9a DMG 1994), which can be used on all agricultural surfaces as a foliage spray. Through its special composition, ProAlexin strengthens the resistance and self-defence of the treated plants, for which uptake of nutrients is also improved.

ProAlexin SD is a disinfectant based on organic acids, which are deployed, e.g. for the protection and disinfection of stocks and grafts during storage and grafting. It is also deployed for the disinfection of greenhouses through atomisation and for disinfecting the floors of greenhouses before the introduction of a new stock.