COMPOSITION

Abstract

Laundry liquid composition comprising itaconic acid or a salt thereof. The invention further relates to a method of preserving a laundry liquid composition using itaconic acid or salt thereof.

Claims

1. A laundry liquid composition comprising itaconic acid or salt thereof.

2. The composition according to claim 1 in which the level of itaconic acid or salt thereof is from 0.05 to 2 wt % of the total composition.

3. The composition according to claim 1 comprising a polyethyleneimine.

4. The composition according to claim 1 comprising a soil release polymer.

5. The composition according to claim 1 having a pH of from 4.0 to 6.5.

6. The composition according to claim 1 comprising a cleaning surfactant selected from anionic and non-ionic surfactants and mixtures thereof.

7. The composition according to claim 1 comprising less than 1% wt. linear alkylbenzene sulphonate surfactant.

8. A method for preserving a laundry liquid composition using itaconic acid or salt thereof.

Description

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0225] This is the formulation according to the present invention.

TABLE-US-00001 Ingredient % wt. 3EO SLES 6.8% 25-7 Alcohol Ethoxylate (Non-Ionic) 10.2%  Fatty Acid 0.75%  Triethanolamine 1.5% NaOH .sup. 1% Soil Release Polymer 0.3% Polyamine 1.7% Itaconic Acid 0.5/1%.sup.  Citric Acid 0.5/1%.sup.  Latic Acid 0.5/1%.sup.  Demin Water Balance

Example 2

[0226] This data set shows that itaconic acid is an effective preservative and compares with citric acid and lactic acid which although described as effective antimicrobials are not capable of effectively preserving a laundry liquid composition.

Challenge Test Method:

[0227] A modified challenge that complies with the current European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur. Or EP) 5.1.3 criteria was performed on a subsample of both the unpreserved and each dosed product. The bacterial pool was added to each sample container at a ratio of 1:100. The final concentration of inoculum in the product should be between 5×10.sup.5 and 5×10.sup.6 CFU/G of test product. Each product is mixed with a sterile spatula to ensure a homogenous distribution of the inocula throughout the product.

TABLE-US-00002 Inoculum level (cfu/mL) Microorganismpool Day 0 Day 7 Day 14 Burkholderia cepacia 3.9E+08 3.5E+08 3.6E+08 Pseudomonas aeruginosa Psuedomonas putida Acinetobacter lwoffii

[0228] Both the inoculum level and the level of microorganism within each sample was quantified using a Total Viable Count (TVC) pour plate method at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. A 1:10 dilution was made with a subsample of each product, performed separately in Peptone (0.1%)/tween 80 (2%) neutralising agent. A 1:10 and 1:100 dilution of each subsample was performed and pour plates produced at each dilution using tryptone soya agar. Plates were incubated at 28° C. for 48 hours and then examined for growth. Visible colonies were counted with the aid of a Quebec Colony Counter and recorded for analysis against the challenge test criteria. During the removal of a subsample of product for TVC, a re-inoculation is performed at 7 and 14 days, reintroducing 5×10.sup.6 CFU/G of bacteria before mixing using a sterile spatula to homogenise the re-inoculation.

TABLE-US-00003 Microbial Log reduction Sample 7 days 14 days 21 days 28 days 1 Unpreserved <2.73 <2.58 <2.65 <2.65 2 0.5% Itaconic acid >5.59 >5.54 >5.56 >5.56 3 1.0% Itaconic acid >5.59 >5.54 >5.56 >5.56 4 0.5% Lactic acid >5.59 2.32 <2.56 <2.56 5 1.0% Lactic acid >5.59 >5.54 >5.56 >5.56 6 0.5% Citric acid >5.59 <2.54 <2.56 <2.56 7 1.0% Citric acid >5.59 >5.54 >5.56 >5.56

[0229] The above results demonstrate the effectiveness of itaconic acid as a preservation solution for a liquid laundry composition.