Contact Surface Sanitation Validation and Disinfection Systems

Project Summary

Implemented EPA and ASTM guidelines to validate norovirus disinfection on food- and non-food contact and hard-to-clean surfaces under operational conditions. Designed and executed studies incorporating organic load, surface variability, and application constraints to reflect realistic sanitation scenarios and meet industry stakeholder requirements for achieving ≥4-log viral reduction in support of EPA’s disinfectant validation and regulatory compliance.

Demonstrated efficacy of chlorine- and hydrogen peroxide-based disinfectants across a range of concentrations, contact times, and application methods, including fogging technologies, under simulated organic load conditions. This work supports sanitation validation, environmental monitoring program design, and implementation of risk-based disinfection strategies under real-world conditions.

Why It Matters

Sanitation programs are only effective when disinfectants perform under realistic operational conditions rather than idealized laboratory settings. In practice, efficacy can be affected by organic load, surface composition, access limitations, and method of application, especially in hard-to-clean environments.

This work addresses those constraints by validating disinfectant performance under simulated real-world conditions and aligning studies with EPA label claim expectations and ASTM efficacy testing frameworks. The results support implementation of risk-based sanitation strategies for food-contact environments and other high-risk settings where consistent viral reduction is critical.

Key Contributions

Validated disinfectant performance against norovirus under EPA- and ASTM-aligned conditions
Designed efficacy studies incorporating organic load, surface variability, and application constraints
Demonstrated ≥4-log viral reductions under operationally relevant conditions
Evaluated both surface application and fogging approaches for hard-to-clean areas
Generated data supporting sanitation validation and environmental monitoring program design
Addressed stakeholder-relevant use scenarios, including high-risk service environments such as cruise line operations

Publications and Presentations

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Naim Montazeri*, Clyde Manuel, Eric Moorman, Janak Khatiwada, Leonard Williams, and Lee-Ann Jaykus. 2017. Virucidal activity of fogged chlorine dioxide- and hydrogen peroxide-based disinfectants against human norovirus and its surrogate, feline calicivirus, on hard-to-reach surfaces. Frontiers in Microbiology, 8: 1031. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01031.
Eric Moorman, Naim Montazeri*., and Lee-Ann Jaykus. 2017. Efficacy of neutral electrolyzed water for inactivation of human norovirus. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 83: e00653-17. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00653-17.

Presentations

Naim Montazeri*, Eric Moorman, Matthew Moore, Blanca Escudero-Abarca, and Lee-Ann Jaykus. Thermal and chemical inactivation of human norovirus: impacts on viral capsid integrity. UF Emerging Pathogens Institute Research Day, Gainesville, FL. 2018.
Naim Montazeri*, Eric Moorman, Matthew Moore, Blanca Escudero-Abarca, and Lee-Ann Jaykus. Or-ganic load impacts the virucidal efficacy of heat and chlorine against human norovirus and Tulane virus, a cultivable surrogate. IAFP Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL. 2017.
Naim Montazeri*, Eric Moorman, and Lee-Ann Jaykus. Inactivation of human norovirus and the Tulane virus surrogate using hydrogen peroxide-based disinfectants. International Calicivirus Conference, Savannah, GA. 2016.
Eric Moorman, Naim Montazeri, and Lee-Ann Jaykus. Antiviral effect of neutral electrolyzed water against human norovirus. IAFP Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO. 2016.
Eric Moorman, Naim Montazeri, and Lee-Ann Jaykus. Electrolyzed water inactivates human norovirus; impact on viral structure and function. NoroCORE Annual Meeting, Arlington, VA. 2016.

Relevant Skills and Methods

Sanitation validation
Disinfectant efficacy testing
EPA label claim-aligned study design
ASTM-aligned efficacy frameworks
Organic load simulation
Surface application and fogging technologies
Viral inactivation assays
Environmental monitoring program support
Risk-based interpretation of sanitation performance