Contamination and Mutation of Pathogens in Refrigerated Storage and Transport
1. Freezing does not provide protection against pathogens. (Fungi, bacteria, mold, etc.)
Cold does not kill pathogens; it inhibits their growth. Certain very common bacteria including
the primary ones responsible for food spoilage and food borne disease are psychotropic - they
thrive and mutate in cold temperatures. They are present in almost all walk-in freezers. The
inhibition of bacteria growth in refrigerated storage moves pathogens to the end user without
detection and contaminates the entire food cycle.
2. The primary cause is the refrigeration system.
Transport containers and walk in freezer rooms can be sterilized but disassembly to clean
behind all gaskets, hinges and crevices in the freezer unit is necessary. Any pathogen that can
survive in cold infests the refrigeration system. The bacteria are then transferred to the food or
the covering over the food. As food is transferred to other refrigerated units, the pathogens
infect those units, which in turn contaminates all subsequent material. When food is removed
from refrigeration, pathogens bloom and rapid spoilage and contamination become apparent.
3. Aluminum in the refrigeration system magnifies the problem 6000 fold.
All metals, minerals, amino acids and proteins are held in suspension in air and water by a
minute electronegative charge. This charge, called Zeta Potential in colloid or physical
chemistry, determines the carrying capacity of air or water. As the electronegative charge is
lowered, concentration, coagulation and flocculation occur.
Any positive valence element increases concentration as follows:
Monovalent +1 ion =1x; Bivalent +2 ion =3000x; Trivalent +3 ion = 6000x.
Aluminum has a +3 valence. Mix flour and water in thick slurry and add a drop of antiperspirant.
The flour will clump and settle to the bottom since the primary ingredient in antiperspirant is
aluminum. Even without any stray galvanic current flow from the refrigeration unit, aluminum
ionizes into easily at a pH of about 5.8. 9 (slightly acid)
On the following table of electronegative charge versus stability, note how small the charge is
that stabilizes suspensions. A change of 10 millivolts can cause dense concentration of air or
liquid. A minute amount of aluminum ions will accomplish this that change.
Zeta Potential - Solution Stability
Water droplets condensed by loss of charge provide a strong protective shell around bacteria
and fungi. The greater the degree of concentration, the more protection the water shell provides
from the effects of disenfecting agents.
A droplet that condenses on aluminun surface in ductwork increases concentration even more
from the direct aluminum contact. The primary reason vent duct is so difficult to sterilize is
disinfecting or sterilizing agents strong enough to penetrate the protective shell of water and kill
reach toxic levels and/or attack metals, gaskets and other devices in the system.
4. The system becomes a biological-breeding reactor
A. Antibiotic, fungicide or bactericide on food and produce that has been treated before being
put into the container creates a primordial soup laced with small amounts of those antibiotics
and fungicides. Mutation creates new forms that have a greater resistance and passes them on
to the next system in the food chain.
B: Two-way transfers occur. Since the containers are far from airtight, bacteria and fungi inside
are transferred to the outside environment. Mold, fungi and zoological disease from outside can
infiltrate through air exchange or insect infiltration in storage or while waiting for loading.
C: Cardboard boxes absorb pathogens and moisture creating large numbers of protected
breeder cells in the corrugations and crevices that are home to bacteria, fungi and eggs.
When finally removed from cold storage, rapid spoilage begins as the mixture blooms in the
warmth. Food poisoning, infections and death can result in the immune-compromised and the
food chain has been cross -infected. Some of these pathogens such as fusarium are already
immune to ozone and UV light.
Wash water containing these pathogens are dumped down the drain to mix with the medicines
and antibiotics flushed down the toilet and excreted from urine and feces into a larger, warm
temperature biological-breeding reactor called sewage or water treatment systems. Genetic
mutations with increased resistance return to the system in treated water laced with previously
unknown or harmless bacteria that are now virulent or drug resistant.
5. The effects are far greater than have been recognized.
A number of years ago, the discovery that ulcers were caused by infection prompted more
research of infection. The role of infection in cancer and other diseases is increasingly being
recognized. Aspergillis has recently been found to be the cause of chronic sinus infections. The
pathogens throughout the refrigeration system the largest causes of hospital-acquired infection
and death.
The focus on bioterrorism from virus is misdirected. Virulent bacteria/ fungi risk far exceeds
virus risk and would be a far more effective terrorist weapon. Chance may be the greater threat
given the massive numbers of biological reactors transporting food from many locations. It is
only a matter of time before chance will breed a mutation far more lethal, insidious and resistant
than any virus contamination.
There are a number of remedies to eliminate this threat rapidly and relatively inexpensively (see
section 4) but until the source of the problem and method of transmission is recognized, treating
symptoms is "putting pearls on a string with no knot".
Copyright 1999
Frank Hartman