Hygienic filling – new test germ for UV distection systems

Aspergillus carbonarius DSM 872 künftig bevorzugter Testkeim für die Überprüfung der Entkeimungsleistung von UV-basierten Entkeimungsverfahren. (shutterstock) / Aspergillus carbonarius DSM 872 to become preferred test germ for checking the sterilization performance of UV-based sterilization processes. (shutterstock)

In its trade association publications, the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Ma-chinery Association specifies spores of Aspergillus niger DSM 1957 or Aspergillus brasiliensis DSM 1988 as test germs for checking the disinfection performance of UV-based disinfection devices in VDMA hygiene classes III and IV filling machines. In 2016, the above-mentioned Aspergillus strains, among others, were classified in "TRBA 460" (Technical Rules for Biological Agents) in risk group 2. This means that it is no longer possible to use these strains for testing the sterilisation performance of filling machines within the scope of TRBA 460 outside so-called S2 laboratories.

In the AIF research project "SURROGATE" (AiF no.: 20924 N/1), investigations were then carried out at the Fraunhofer IVV in Freising regarding possible substitute germs that have comparable killing kinetics to spores of Aspergillus brasiliensis with regard to UV disinfection devices. On the basis of the investigations that have now been com-pleted, the VDMA will in future specify Aspergillus carbonarius DSM 872 as the pre-ferred test germ for checking the disinfection performance of UV disinfection systems in its publication series "Fachverbandsschriften Nahrungsmittelmaschinen und Verpackungsmaschinen".

The corresponding revision of the trade association publications concerned took place after the publication of the research report.