A process for the linear synthesis of a gram-positive class II bacteriocin or a variant thereof is disclosed herein. The process comprises the stepwise addition of selected amino acids to a solid support; pseudoproline positioning and reopening; and cleavage of the gram-positive class II bacteriocin or the variant thereof from the solid support to provide a linear gram-positive class II bacteriocin or variant thereof; and in situ disulfide bond formation. Various applications and uses of the synthetic bacteriocins are also disclosed. The synthetic process can also be used to synthesize variants of bacteriocins by the selective substitution of one or more amino acids and/or additions and/or deletions of selected amino acids.

The present invention relates generally to methods for forming peroxyformic acid, comprising contacting formic acid with hydrogen peroxide. The methods for forming peroxyformic acid can include adding formic acid with a relatively lower concentration of hydrogen peroxide, or adding formic acid to a peroxycarboxylic acid composition or forming composition to react with hydrogen peroxide in the compositions. The present invention also relates to peroxyformic acid formed by the above methods. The present invention further relates to the uses of peroxyformic acid for treating a variety of targets, e.g., target water, including target water used in connection with oil- and gas-field operations. The present invention further relates to methods for reducing or removing H.sub.2S or iron sulfide in the treated water source, improving clarity of the treated water source, or reducing the total dissolved oxygen or corrosion in the treated water source, using peroxyformic acid, including peroxyformic acid generated in situ.

Here disclosed is a method of preparing an antimicrobial strain composition from milk, a raw egg and a plant part, which includes the following steps: 1) providing a dairy composition comprising milk, a fermentable sugar, and edible starters from each of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Acetobacter, combining a first aliquot of the dairy composition (part A) with Rhizopus oryzae, Aspergillus niger and/or Aspergillus oryzae, and an edible starter from Saccharomyces, and conducting fermentation so as to enable the part A composition to substantially turn into a milk curd, 3) combining a second aliquot of the dairy composition (part B) with a raw egg, conducting fermentation so that eggshell substantially dissolves into the part B composition, making an opening on an eggshell membrane(s) without substantially affecting the construction of the eggshell membrane(s), and continuing fermentation of the part B composition until appearance of calcium particles on an inner surface of the eggshell membrane(s), 4) combining the part A composition obtained from step 2) and the part B composition obtained from step 3), and introducing thereinto the plant part and a fermentable sugar, so as to form an AB composition wherein casein is located on top of the AB composition, and 5) allowing the AB composition to ferment until a microbial membrane that is capable of growth develops on top of the AB composition and a liquid part forms underneath, and the liquid part is demonstrated anti-mould activity and has a pHabout 3.0.

Methods and devices for non-invasively assessing lethality and/or cross contamination of a process. In some embodiments, an aggregating sampler is used, such as a fixture catcher, to obtain samples before, after and/or during the process. In some embodiments, an isolated packet of bacteria is exposed to the active elements of the process without contacting the product. In other embodiments, a method to measure lethality using microgenomic analysis is reported. In still other embodiments, a procedure is reported to use the knowledge from a microgenomic process to use direct qPCR for identified genera species to measure cross contamination. These metrics have special utility in the validation of wash water performance but may have utility is assessing process performance when unpackaged product is treated as for blanching and irradiation. Process performance can include verification of process delivery or for research.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an auger dip apparatus for the application of antimicrobial solution to raw food. Embodiments of the present disclosure may use an auger as a single moving part to move the food work pieces through the application area for antimicrobial solution. Embodiments of the present disclosure are simple with only one moving auger part to move the food pieces, and the bearing for the moving part, supporting the shaft of the auger, may be configured to be outside of the cabinet with the reservoir of the antimicrobial solution, so that the bearing is not in contact with the antimicrobial solution. This provides for less maintenance and downtime, particularly unscheduled downtime, than a system using more complicated exposed parts. The present disclosure also permits a more compact and lighter configuration for an assembled application unit.

A strainer basket system may include a reservoir in which a strainer basket is positioned and a chemical dispensing docking station. The chemical dispensing docking station may have a cavity that receives a container of chemical to be dispensed and a retention mechanism that is configured to mechanically engage and retain the container of chemical, when inserted into the cavity. The docking station may also include a piercing member positioned to pierce the container of chemical as the container of chemical is inserted into the cavity, thereby releasing chemical into the reservoir and/or strainer basket.

The present invention describes compositions for disinfection and/or effective preservation of food, for example fresh food, which allows the effective removal of microorganisms from these. The disclosed compositions contain derived extracts from plants with antimicrobial activity, which can act on their own or in combination with other disinfecting agents such as organic acids and chlorine compounds. The compositions of the invention are able to remove microbial contamination, including pathogenic microorganisms in seeds and sprouts obtained therefrom without changing the germination properties and nutritional and/or alimentary properties of the sprouts.

The present invention is related to a food casing with antifungal properties comprising a coating formed by the application in at least its external surface of a water-based composition comprising at least, a film forming agent, a lipid and natamycin. The invention is also directed to the method for production of said food casing as well as to a meat product prepared by stuffing said food casing with meat or a meat emulsion.

The present invention provides a multi-peptide composition with antibacterial activity comprising at least 3 peptides with the sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, 2 or 3 (or related sequences), respectively, in which the SEQ ID NO:1 sequence (or its related sequence) comprises at least two tryptophan residues. In particular the invention provides a new bacteriocin, Garvicin KS. The invention also provides compositions and host cells containing such antibacterial compositions. Uses of the antibacterial composition in treating bacterial infection and products treated with the antibacterial composition are also provided.

This disclosure provides generally for antimicrobial compositions and methods of use comprising an anthocyanin, an anthocyanidin or metabolites thereof. Methods for promoting healing of a wound using these compositions are also disclosed. These compositions have broad spectrum antimicrobial activity and are safe for human and animal uses. Further, these compositions are safe for medical uses and industrial uses as antiseptic preparations to reduce or prevent microbial growth, including killing bacterial biofilms.