Water and feed antimicrobial preservative

1. An antimicrobial composition for extending the shelf-life of water, feed or feed ingredients, against Salmonella , the antimicrobial composition comprising an organic carboxylic acids (RCOOH) aqueous solution that comprises:

a buffered short-chain acid aqueous solution having a pH in a range of 1-5, wherein the buffered short-chain acid aqueous solution comprises a buffering agent and a short-chain acid, wherein the short-chain acid is at a concentration in a range of 80 to 95 wt. % of the total organic carboxylic acid content in the organic carboxylic acids aqueous solution, and wherein the short-chain acid is propionic acid, and wherein the buffering agent is ammonium hydroxide; and

pelargonic acid (CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 COOH)at a concentration in a range of 5 to 20 wt. % of the total organic carboxylic acid content in the organic carboxylic acids aqueous solution.

2. The antimicrobial composition of claim 1 , wherein the buffered short-chain acid aqueous solution has a pH in a range of 1-3.

3. The antimicrobial composition of claim 1 further comprising a surfactant at a concentration not greater than 20 wt. % of the antimicrobial composition, wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of polysorbate 20, polysorbate 80, polysorbate 40, polysorbate 60, polyglyceryl ester, polyglyceryl monooleate, decaglyceryl monocaprylate, propylene glycol dicaprilate, triglycerol monostearate, sorbitane monooleate, ethoxylated castor oil surfactants, and mixtures thereof.

4. The antimicrobial composition of claim 3 , wherein the surfactant is at a concentration that is in a range of 0.5 to 5 wt. % of the antimicrobial composition.

5. The antimicrobial composition of claim 1 further comprising a terpene at a concentration not greater than 20 wt. % of the antimicrobial composition, wherein the terpene is selected from the group consisting of allyl disulfide, citral, pinene, nerol, geraniol, carvacrol, eugenol, carvone, anethole, camphor, menthol, limonene, farnesol, carotene, thymol, borneol, myrcene, terpenene, linalool, and mixtures thereof.

6. The antimicrobial composition of claim 5 , wherein the terpene is selected from the group consisting of allyl disulfide, thymol, citral, eugenol, carvacrol, carvone, and mixtures thereof.

7. The antimicrobial composition of claim 6 , wherein the terpene concentration is in a range of 0.5-10 wt. % of the antimicrobial composition.

8. A method for extending the shelf-life of water, feed or feed ingredients, against Salmonella , the method comprising spray-treating or admixing to the water, feed or feed ingredients an effective amount of an antimicrobial composition that comprises an organic carboxylic acids (RCOOH) aqueous solution, wherein the organic carboxylic acids aqueous solution comprises:

a buffered short-chain acid aqueous solution having a pH in a range of 1-5, wherein the buffered short-chain acid aqueous solution comprises a buffering agent and a short-chain acid, wherein the short-chain acid is at a concentration in a range of 80 to 95 wt. % of the total organic carboxylic acid content in the organic carboxylic acids aqueous solution, and wherein the short-chain acid is propionic acid, and wherein the buffering agent is ammonium hydroxide; and

pelargonic acid (CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 COOH) at a concentration in a range of about 5 to about 20 wt. % of the total organic carboxylic acid content in the organic carboxylic acids aqueous solution.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the buffered short-chain acid aqueous solution has a pH in a range of 1-3.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the antimicrobial composition further comprises a surfactant at a concentration not greater than 20 wt. % of the antimicrobial composition, wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of polysorbate 20, polysorbate 80, polysorbate 40 , polysorbate 60 , polyglyceryl ester, polyglyceryl monooleate, decaglyceryl monocaprylate, propylene glycol dicaprilate, triglycerol monostearate, sorbitane monooleate, ethoxylated castor oil surfactants, and mixtures thereof.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the surfactant is at a concentration that is in a range of 0.5 to 5 wt. % of the antimicrobial composition.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein antimicrobial composition further comprises a terpene at a concentration not greater than 20 wt. % of the antimicrobial composition, wherein the terpene is selected from the group consisting of allyl disulfide, citral, pinene, nerol, geraniol, carvacrol, eugenol, carvone, anethole, camphor, menthol, limonene, farnesol, carotene, thymol, borneol, myrcene, terpenene, linalool, and mixtures thereof.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the terpene is selected from the group consisting of allyl disulfide, thymol, citral, eugenol, carvacrol, carvone, and mixtures thereof.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the terpene concentration is in a range of 0.5-10 wt. % of the antimicrobial composition.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein said antimicrobial composition contains 20% to 90 wt. % of said organic carboxylic acids (RCOOH) in aqueous solution.

16. The antimicrobial composition of claim 1 , wherein said organic carboxylic acids (RCOOH) in aqueous solution is 20% to 90 wt. % of the antimicrobial composition.

17. An antimicrobial composition for extending the shelf-life of water, feed or feed ingredients, against Salmonella , the antimicrobial composition comprising:

(a) an organic carboxylic acids (RCOOH) aqueous solution having a total organic carboxylic acid content that is in a range of 20 to 95 wt. % of the antimicrobial composition, wherein the organic carboxylic acids (RCOOH) aqueous solution comprises:

(i) a buffered short-chain acid aqueous solution having a pH in a range of 1-3, wherein the buffered short-chain acid aqueous solution comprises a buffering agent and a short-chain acid, wherein the short-chain acid is at a concentration in a range of 80 to 95 wt. % of the total organic carboxylic acid content in the organic carboxylic acids aqueous solution, and wherein the short-chain acid is propionic acid, and wherein the buffering agent is ammonium hydroxide; and

(ii) pelargonic acid (CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 COOH) at a concentration in a range of 5 to 20 wt. % of the total organic carboxylic acid content in the organic carboxylic acids aqueous solution;

(b) a terpene at a concentration in a range of 0.5 to 20 wt. % of the antimicrobial composition, wherein the terpene is selected from the group consisting of allyl disulfide, citral, pinene, nerol, geraniol, carvacrol, eugenol, carvone, anethole, camphor, menthol, limonene, farnesol, carotene, thymol, borneol, myrcene, terpenene, linalool, and mixtures thereof; and

(c) a surfactant at a concentration that is in a range of 0.5 to 20 wt. % of the antimicrobial composition wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of polysorbate 20, polysorbate 80, polysorbate 40, polysorbate 60, polyglyceryl ester, polyglyceryl monooleate, decaglyceryl monocaprylate, propylene glycol dicaprilate, triglycerol monostearate, sorbitane monooleate, ethoxylated castor oil surfactants, and mixtures thereof.

18. A method for extending the shelf-life of water, feed or feed ingredients, against Salmonella , the method comprising spray-treating or admixing to the water, feed or feed ingredients an effective amount of an antimicrobial composition that comprises:

(a) an organic carboxylic acids (RCOOH) aqueous solution having a total organic carboxylic acid content that is in a range of 20 to 95 wt. % of the antimicrobial composition, wherein the organic carboxylic acids (RCOOH) aqueous solution comprises:

(i) a buffered short-chain acid aqueous solution having a pH in a range of 1-3, wherein the buffered short-chain acid aqueous solution comprises a buffering agent and a short-chain acid, wherein the short-chain acid is at a concentration in a range of 80 to 95 wt. % of the total organic carboxylic acid content in the organic carboxylic acids aqueous solution, and wherein the short-chain acid is propionic acid, and wherein the buffering agent is ammonium hydroxide; and

(ii) pelargonic acid (CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 COOH) at a concentration in a range of 5 to 20 wt. % of the total organic carboxylic acid content in the organic carboxylic acids aqueous solution;

(b) a terpene at a concentration in a range of 0.5 to 20 wt. % of the antimicrobial composition, wherein the terpene is selected from the group consisting of allyl disulfide, citral, pinene, nerol, geraniol, carvacrol, eugenol, carvone, anethole, camphor, menthol, limonene, farnesol, carotene, thymol, borneol, myrcene, terpenene, linalool, and mixtures thereof; and

(c) a surfactant at a concentration that is in a range of 0.5 to 20 wt. % of the antimicrobial composition wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of polysorbate 20, polysorbate 80, polysorbate 40, polysorbate 60, polyglyceryl ester, polyglyceryl monooleate, decaglyceryl monocaprylate, propylene glycol dicaprilate, triglycerol monostearate, sorbitane monooleate, ethoxylated castor oil surfactants, and mixtures thereof.