Certification by a COFRAC accredited laboratory

An approach that dates

In 1998, from its creation in Cognin, HYGITEC began to offer its products to the food industry. The latter is already very demanding in terms of health security. Also, in 1999, the then manager, Mr. CHABAUD, appointed the Departmental Veterinary Analysis Laboratory of Savoie in Chambéry to carry out tests on HYGITEC products. The objective was to be able to reassure manufacturers in the sector about the ability of dry boots to destroy bacteria and fungi that develop in the boots and risk contaminating workshops.

What is a COFRAC accredited laboratory?

The Departmental Veterinary Analysis Laboratory of Savoie, which carried out all our tests, is COFRAC accredited. What does that mean ?

COFRAC is the French Accreditation Committee. It is the French body that assesses the competence of bodies to carry out conformity assessments as indicated on the COFRAC website.

Results in line with expectations in 1999

The report drawn up in November 1999 is based on tests carried out on a HYGIfeet Maxi M20 boot dryer in 304L stainless steel. 25 boots are tested: 5 boots are free of any contamination and 20 are contaminated with 5 different germs:

• Candida albicans (fungus causing fungal infections)
• Staphylococcus aureus (Staphylococcus aureus, responsible for food poisoning)
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa (pyocyanic bacillus, bacteria causing acute or chronic infections)
• Escherichia coli (bacteria causing bloody diarrhea)
• Bacillus cereus (bacteria causing diarrhea)

After a 90-minute cycle, the results are clear in reducing the load:

• Candida albicans: 99.82%
• Staphylococcus aureus: 99.987%
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa: 100%
• Escherichia coli: 100%
• Bacillus cereus: 100%

HYGITEC has therefore obtained the legitimacy of its credo: "dry and disinfect your PPE".

Questions about the arrival of Sars-CoV-2

From the start of 2020 and the discovery of the virus responsible for Covid-19, we wondered about the action of ozone in our devices on Sars-CoV-2. The testing of our devices on this virus was not possible, all means having been put at the service of the containment of this pandemic. However, we consulted the same laboratory to find out more about this virus. Based on the existing literature, we were told that the combined action of heat, ozone and exposure time had a strong impact on viral load reduction.

Further studies by WHO have shown that a temperature threshold of 56 ° C for a period of time allows the near destruction of Sars-CoV-2. More details in our article dedicated to the V.I.S.

Further analysis and update of results

To respond to the request of several manufacturers, we wanted to transform the theory of the destruction of 2 new germs into certified tests.

We again called on the Departmental Veterinary Analysis Laboratory of Savoie in 2021 to test our technology on:

• Salmonella enterica (bacteria causing food poisoning and typhoid fever)
• Listeria innocua (bacteria causing listeriosis)

After a 90-minute cycle on a HYGIfeet Maxi M20, the results on load reduction are clear:

• Salmonella enterica: 99.92%
• Listeria innocua: 100%

As the strains tested in 1999 did not evolve, it was not necessary to repeat the tests. Also, HYGITEC can now take advantage of the following reductions in charge:

• Candida albicans: 99.82%
• Staphylococcus aureus: 99.987%
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa: 100%
• Escherichia coli: 100%
• Bacillus cereus: 100%
• Salmonella enterica: 99.92%
• Listeria innocua: 100%

To put it simply, so that our tests are recognized and unequivocal, we called on an independent laboratory, itself validated (accredited) by the highest French authority.