Antimicrobial Compositions and Methods of Use Thereof

Abstract

The invention provides antimicrobial compositions comprising one or more acid and one or more organic diol. In one embodiment, the invention's compositions have an acidic pH. The compositions may optionally further contain one or more oxidizing agent (including stabilized oxidizing agent and/or unstabilized oxidizing agent), and/or one or more surfactant. In particular embodiments, the acid lacks one or both of —NH group and-NH 2 group. The invention's compositions are useful in all stages of handling agricultural products, in hospitals, and in commercial and household applications.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method for reducing the number of microbes on a surface of an agricultural product, comprising
 a) providing
 i) an agricultural product having a surface comprising a first number of microbes, and 
 ii) an antimicrobially effective amount of a composition having acidic pH and having a temperature from below said composition's freezing temperature to 120° C., wherein said composition is selected from the group consisting of
 1) a first composition comprising from 0.01 to 0.10 wgt. % phosphoric acid and from 0.01 to 1 wgt. % propylene glycol, and 
 2) a second composition comprising phosphoric acid, propylene glycol, and chlorine, and 
 
   b) contacting said surface with said composition under conditions that produce a contacted surface comprising a reduced number of said microbes compared to said first number of said microbes on said first surface in the absence of said contacting.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said surface comprises a pathogenic microbe and a non-pathogenic microbe, and said reduced number of said microbes comprises a greater reduction in the number of said pathogenic microbe than in the number of said non-pathogenic microbe. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said composition comprises said first composition, and said method further comprises c) drying said contacted surface to produce a dried surface comprising one or more of said phosphoric acid and said propylene glycol. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said composition comprises said second composition, and said method further comprises c) drying said contacted surface to produce a dried surface comprising one or more of said phosphoric acid, of said propylene glycol, and of said chlorine. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said composition comprises said first composition, and said method further comprises c) washing said contacted surface under conditions that reduce the amount of one or more of said phosphoric acid and of said propylene glycol on said contacted surface. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said composition comprises said second composition, and said method further comprises c) washing said contacted surface under conditions that reduce the amount of one or more of said phosphoric acid, of said propylene glycol, and of said chlorine on said contacted surface. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A method for reducing discoloration of an agricultural product, comprising
 a) providing
 i) an agricultural product having a surface, 
 ii) an anti-discoloration effective amount of a composition having acidic pH, said composition is selected from the group consisting of
 1) a first composition comprising from 0.01 to 0.10 wgt. % phosphoric acid and from 0.01 to 1 wgt. % propylene glycol, and 
 2) a second composition comprising phosphoric acid, propylene glycol, and chlorine, and 
 
   b) contacting said agricultural product with said composition under conditions that produce a contacted surface having reduced discoloration compared to discoloration of said surface in the absence of said contacting.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said composition further comprises sodium lauryl sulfate. 
     
     
         32 . The composition of  claim 31 , wherein said composition comprises from 0.001 wgt. % to 0.1 wgt. % of said sodium lauryl sulfate. 
     
     
         33 . The composition of  claim 23 , wherein said first composition comprises 0.03 wgt. % phosphoric acid, 0.02 wgt. % propylene glycol, and 0.005 wgt. % chlorine. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said first surface comprises a first number of pathogenic microbe and a second number of non-pathogenic microbe, and wherein said contacted surface comprises
 i) a reduced number of said pathogenic microbe compared to said first number of pathogenic microbe on said surface in the absence of said contacting, and   ii) a reduced number of said non-pathogenic microbe compared to said second number of non-pathogenic microbe on said surface in the absence of said contacting.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said composition comprises said first composition, and said method further comprises c) drying said contacted surface to produce a dried surface comprising one or more of said phosphoric acid and said propylene glycol. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said composition comprises said second composition, and said method further comprises c) drying said contacted surface to produce a dried surface comprising one or more of said phosphoric acid, of said propylene glycol, and of said chlorine. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said composition comprises said first composition, and said method further comprises c) washing said contacted surface under conditions that reduce the amount of one or more of said phosphoric acid and of said propylene glycol on said contacted surface. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said composition comprises said second composition, and said method further comprises c) washing said contacted surface under conditions that reduce the amount of one or more of said phosphoric acid, of said propylene glycol, and of said chlorine on said contacted surface. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said composition further comprises sodium lauryl sulfate. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein said composition comprises from 0.001 wgt. % to 0.1 wgt. % of said sodium lauryl sulfate. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said first composition comprises 0.03 wgt. % phosphoric acid, 0.02 wgt. % propylene glycol, and 0.005 wgt. % chlorine. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the reduction in the number of said pathogenic microbe is greater than the reduction in the number of said non-pathogenic microbe.