FC-8.6-P
Food Surface Sanitizer
Ingredients
| Ingredient | INCI / Description | % w/w | Function | Addition Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deionized water | Aqua | 84.5 | Solvent | 1 |
| BAC (50% active, C12–C14) | Benzalkonium chloride | 4.0 | Disinfectant active (2% as QAC) | 2 |
| DDAC (50% active) | Didecyldimethylammonium chloride | 2.0 | Disinfectant active (1% as QAC) | 3 |
| Nonionic surfactant (C12–14, 7 EO) | C12-14 pareth-7 | 4.0 | Cleaning surfactant | 4 |
| EDTA (tetrasodium, 38%) | Tetrasodium EDTA | 3.0 | Chelating agent, QAC activity enhancer | 5 |
| Sodium carbonate | Sodium carbonate | 2.0 | Alkaline buffer | 6 |
| Sodium xylene sulfonate (40%) | Sodium xylene sulfonate | 0.4 | Hydrotrope | 7 |
| Colorant | CI 42090 | 0.005 | Aesthetic | 8 |
| Fragrance | Fragrance (parfum) | 0.1 | Sensory (low level) | 9 |
| Total | ~100 |
Addition Order & Process
Formulation Notes
Food-contact surface sanitizers must satisfy a dual requirement: they must clean (remove soils) and simultaneously reduce microbial populations to safe levels. Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs)—principally benzalkonium chloride (BAC, alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, C12–C16) and didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC)—are the most widely used active ingredients for this purpose in institutional and food-service settings . These products are regulated as pesticides under U.S. EPA FIFRA and as biocidal products under EU BPR; they may only be used on surfaces that contact food if the product label explicitly permits such use and specifies either a potable water rinse requirement or a no-rinse authorization at defined use concentrations.
Formulation Card FC-8.6-P: Food Surface Sanitizer
Properties: QAC content 3.0% ± 0.1% as active (titration against sodium lauryl sulfate with Epton mixed-indicator endpoint); pH 9.5–10.5 (as is); clear liquid, water-thin. Use dilution: 50–100 mL per 10 L water (yielding 150–300 ppm QAC in use solution). Safety: Irritant to eyes; avoid contact with food unless used at approved no-rinse concentrations per label directions. EPA or national regulatory registration required before sale.
Notes: The BAC:DDAC ratio of 2:1 combines the rapid kill kinetics of BAC against Gram-positive bacteria with the broader spectrum and greater hard-water tolerance of DDAC . EDTA is critical to this formulation: by chelating calcium and magnesium ions, it prevents the formation of insoluble QAC-hard-water complexes and extends the effective activity of the sanitizer to water hardness levels up to 400 mg/L as CaCO₃ . The nonionic surfactant at 4% provides sufficient detergency for light-to-moderate soils but is not adequate for heavy grease removal; heavily soiled surfaces must be pre-cleaned with a degreaser before sanitizer application. Use solutions at 200 ppm QAC are approved for no-rinse application on food-contact surfaces in the United States, provided the solution is drained and the surface allowed to air-dry . In the EU, current practice requires a potable water rinse after biocide application to food-contact surfaces unless the product has been specifically authorized under BPR with a no-rinse claim .