Wetting agents for aseptic filling
The present invention is directed to wetting agent compositions and methods for making and using the wetting agent compositions. The compositions of the invention include a sheeting agent, a defoaming agent, and an association disruption agent. The wetting agent compositions of the present invention result in a faster draining/drying time on most substrates compared to conventional wetting agents. The wetting agent compositions of the present invention are especially suitable for use on plastic substrates.
1. A method for aseptic packaging of food, beverages or pharmaceuticals comprising:
(a) contacting a package with a composition consisting essentially of a wetting agent, and an antimicrobial agent, wherein the wetting agent consists essentially of:
(i) a sheeting agent, wherein the sheeting agent comprises at least one compound having the structure represented by formula I:
R—O—(CH 2 CH 2 O) n —H
wherein R is a (C 1 -C 12 ) alkyl group, and n is an integer in the range of 1 to 100;
(ii) a defoaming agent comprising a polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene block copolymer surfactant, wherein the weight percent ratio of sheeting agent to defoaming agent is between about 1:5 to about 5:1 in the composition;
(iii) a first association disruption agent which is an alcohol alkoxylate EO/BO surfactant;
(iv) a second association disruption agent which is a C 12 -C 14 fatty alcohol EO/PO surfactant; and
(v) an additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of a carrier, a hydrotrope, a chelating/sequestering agent, and combinations thereof;
(b) filling the package with a substance selected from the group consisting of food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and combinations thereof; and
(c) sealing the package.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of contacting comprises applying the composition to the packaging for an amount of time sufficient to reduce a microorganism population present on the package.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the composition is applied to the packaging for at least 3 seconds.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of contacting comprises applying the composition to the packaging at a temperature of between about 0° C. and about 100° C.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein n is an integer in the range of 15 to 30.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein n is 21.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial agent is selected from the group consisting of a peroxygen compound, a percarboxylic acid, a monoester of a dicarboxylic acid, a diester of a dicarboxylic acid, and mixtures thereof.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wetting agent is present in the composition at an amount of from about 20 ppm to about 2000 ppm.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises a rinse step between the step of contacting the package with the composition, and filling the package with a substance.
10. A wetting agent composition consisting essentially of:
(a) a sheeting agent, wherein the sheeting agent comprises at least one compound having the structure represented by formula 1:
R—O—(CH2CH 2 O) n —H, wherein R is a (C 1 -C 12 ) alkyl group, and n is an integer in the range of 1 to 100;
(b) a defoaming agent comprising a polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene block copolymer surfactant, wherein the weight percent ratio of sheeting agent to defoaming agent is between about 1:5 to about 5:1 in the composition;
(c-1) a first association disruption agent which is an alcohol alkoxylate EO/BO surfactant;
(c-2) a second association disruption agent which is a C 12 -C 14 fatty alcohol EO/PO surfactant; and
(d) an additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of a carrier, a hydrotrope, a chelating/sequestering agent, and combinations thereof.
11. A composition consisting essentially of:
(a) a wetting agent composition consisting essentially of:
(i) a sheeting agent, wherein the sheeting agent comprises at least one compound having the structure represented by formula I:
R—O—(CH 2 CH 2 O) n —H, wherein R is a (C 1 -C 12 ) alkyl group, and n is an integer in the range of 1 to 100;
(ii) a defoaming agent comprising a polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene block copolymer surfactant, wherein the weight percent ratio of sheeting agent to defoaming agent is between about 1:5 to about 5:1 in the composition;
(iii) a first association disruption agent which is an alcohol alkoxylate EO/BO surfactant;
(iv) a second association disruption agent which is a C 12 -C 14 fatty alcohol EO/PO surfactant; and
(v) an additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of a carrier, a hydrotrope, a chelating/sequestering agent, and combinations thereof; and
(b) an antimicrobial agent.
12. A method for aseptic packaging comprising:
(a) forming an aseptic packaging use solution comprising diluting a composition to a use concentration of between about 0.01 wt % to about 10 wt %, wherein the composition consists essentially of:
(i) a wetting agent consisting essentially of:
(a) a sheeting agent, wherein the sheeting agent comprises at least one compound having the structure represented by formula I:
R—O—(CH 2 CH 2 O) n —H wherein R is a (C 1 -C 12 ) alkyl group, and n is an integer in the range of 1 to 100;
(b) a defoaming agent comprising a polyoxypropylenepolyoxyethylene block copolymer surfactant, wherein the weight percent ratio of sheeting agent to defoaming agent is between about 1:5 to about 5:1 in the composition;
(c-1) a first association disruption agent which is an alcohol alkoxylate EO/BO surfactant; and
(c-2) a second association disruption agent which is a C 12 -C 14 fatty alcohol EO/PO surfactant;
(ii) and an antimicrobial agent;
(b) contacting a package with the aseptic packaging use solution;
(c) filling the package with a substance selected from the group consisting of food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and combinations thereof; and
(d) sealing the package.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the sheeting agent is present at about 0.1 wt % to about 10 wt %.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein t s Se ting agent is present at about 0.2 wt % to about 5 wt %.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the defoaming agent is present at about 0.1 wt % to about 10 wt %.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the foaming agent is present at about 0.2 wt % to about 5 wt %.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more association disruption agent is present at between about 0.1 wt % to about 25 wt %.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the disruption agent is present at between about 1 wt % to about 20 wt %.
19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the antimicrobial agent is selected from the group consisting of a peroxygen compound, a percarboxylic acid, a monoester of a dicarboxylic acid, a diester of a dicarboxylic acid, and mixtures thereof.