AsepticSure virtually eliminates food-borne pathogens
Scope of system could extend from HAIs to food-borne illness
Medizone International of San Francisco says its research team at Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, has demonstrated that the firm’s AsepticSure antimicrobial system can eliminate in excess of 7 logs (99.99999%) of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhium with 30 minutes’ exposure to its patented ozone gas mixture.
“The US CDC estimates that food-borne illness caused by these and other contaminants such as E coli affects 76 million people in the US each year, leading to about 300,000 hospitalisations, and 5,000 deaths,” said Dr Michael Shannon, Medizone's director of medical affairs.
“Although our main commercial thrust must remain focused on hospital acquired infections, the list of very real applications for our system continues to grow. Deaths from food-borne illness in the US remains a serious public health concern as it now accounts for more deaths on an annual basis than the cumulative military losses in Iraq since 2003 (4,400). These are staggering statistics and in all conscience, cannot be ignored.”
Medizone's ceo Edwin Marshall added: “Our recent work with Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhium was a direct result of a commercial inquiry from a cheese manufacturer who had recently suffered a multi-million dollar judgement against it related to these pathogens. Clearly the scope of our AsepticSure technology is vast and the commercial prospects nearly unlimited. With the anticipated start of our hospital beta test programme imminent, it is clear full commercialisation is within view."
Medizone International is engaged in developing its AsepticSure system to decontaminate and sterilise hospital surgical suites, emergency rooms and intensive care units.