Developing Study of Preservative Biocidal Action Using Neutron Reflection

Processed foods, medicine, hygiene, home and personal care products require preservation to control bio-contamination that may lead to risk of consumer infection, costly product recalls and failure to meet required shelf-life. Depending on their exact uses, preservatives mechanisms may differ, however little is known about these processes. This project aims to begin filling the gap, thereby providing insights to preservation development. The focus of this study is to explore how membrane surface activity of additive molecules function in boosting the biocidal efficacy and the spectrum of wide-ranging active ingredients against a broad spectrum of organisms and in diverse formulations. Polyol esters, such as propylene glycol mono caprylate (PGMC), are the preservative boosters preliminarily used in this study, alongside the preservative active, Phenoxyethanol (PE), as this is currently the most attractive combination.