Titanium-coating of stainless steel as an aid to improved cleanability

In the food industry, wear of surfaces provides numerous topographical features in which microorganisms may be retained. We hypothesise that by modifying the surface chemistry, this effect may be decreased. Cellulose acetate sheets softened with acetone were pressed onto both new fine polished and used stainless steel surfaces in order to take impressions of surface features for subsequent visualisation and characterisation in the laboratory, using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy (Ra) and white light profilometry (Sa). The method gives high resolution negative replicas of the surface, can be used quickly, safely and efficiently, and enables investigations into surface wear over time, and the effect of defined topographic features on surface hygiene and cleanability. Subsequently, the retention of microorganisms on fine polished stainless steel and titanium coated fine polished stainless steel was assessed in the presence and absence of a meat conditioning film. The titanium coating discouraged the retention and enhanced the removal of both Escherichia coli and the meat conditioning film.