Elevate Food Hygiene Standards with PURE Bioscience

Problem

Chipotle Mexican Grill faced significant food safety challenges after outbreaks of Norovirus and other pathogens, which impacted the company’s reputation and customer trust. Chipotle needed an effective, user-friendly solution to eliminate pathogens and prevent future contamination in its 2,100+ restaurant locations.

Solution

In 2016, Chipotle implemented PURE® Hard Surface disinfectant, an SDC-based (Silver Dihydrogen Citrate) antimicrobial solution, as part of its enhanced restaurant procedures. This disinfectant was chosen to eliminate and prevent Norovirus, E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria.

Result

Chipotle’s adoption of PURE® Hard Surface disinfectant became a critical component of its eight-step food safety program. This move helped Chipotle reinforce its commitment to industry-leading food safety standards. The SDC-based technology, recognized for its efficacy and user-friendly nature, played a vital role in restoring consumer confidence and protecting the brand from future contamination risks. Under the leadership of Dr. James L. Marsden, Chipotle established state-of-the-art sanitation procedures that safeguard both the supply chain and restaurant operations, ensuring a safer dining experience for customers.

Problem‍

A major strawberry processor faced challenges in controlling pathogens, specifically Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes, on the surface of their produce. Traditional sanitation methods were insufficient for achieving the required log reductions, leading to concerns about food safety and product quality.

Solution‍

The processor implemented PURE Bioscience’s PURE Control, a produce wash solution containing Silver Dihydrogen Citrate (SDC). The wash was applied using an innovative misting system at a low concentration of 15 ppm, ensuring effective coverage with minimal chemical use. Strawberries were treated for 15 and 30 seconds, and pathogen levels were monitored post-treatment to assess the efficacy of PURE Control in reducing contamination.

Result‍

The treatment achieved significant reductions in pathogens. For samples inoculated with Salmonella spp., reductions of 2.71 log10 CFU/sample after 15 seconds and 3.00 log10 CFU/sample after 30 seconds were observed. Listeria monocytogenes reductions were even higher, with 3.33 log10 CFU/sample after 15 seconds and 3.78 log10 CFU/sample after 30 seconds. These results exceeded the industry-standard minimum log reduction of 2.0, demonstrating PURE Control’s superior effectiveness in pathogen control. By using PURE’s low-ppm, cost-effective solution, the processor not only ensured food safety but also optimized operational efficiency.

Problem‍

A dairy processing plant faced persistent environmental contamination in one of its processing rooms, leading to repeated bacterial hits. The plant initially considered using Chlorine Dioxide Gas for remediation, but sought an alternative solution that was equally effective, more efficient, and cost-effective without the health concerns of Chlorine Dioxide.

Solution‍

PURE Bioscience’s expert team was consulted to evaluate the situation. After assessing the plant’s findings and previous remediation efforts, PURE Bioscience recommended misting PURE Hard Surface disinfectant to eliminate the bacterial contamination. PURE Bioscience provided the treatment service at no cost to the plant, demonstrating their commitment to customer support.

Result‍

PURE Hard Surface treatment was completed in just two hours, minimizing downtime. Due to the nature of PURE Hard Surface, no additional downtime was required for quarantining, airing out, or re-cleaning the facility—steps that would have been mandatory with Chlorine Dioxide Gas for equipment and human safety. The total cost of treatment with PURE Hard Surface was under $200, compared to the $18,000 to $36,000 quoted for Chlorine Dioxide treatment. By using PURE Hard Surface, the dairy plant successfully eliminated its contamination issues, improved safety, avoided unnecessary downtime, and saved thousands of dollars in labor and treatment costs.