Ecolab's New Quat Sanitizer Offers Broad Sanitizing Concentration

    Business Editors

    ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 12, 2005--Ecolab Inc.'s new OASIS 146 MULTI-QUAT SANITIZER(TM) provides a broad sanitizing concentration range of 150 to 400 parts per million, with a formula to kill 99.99 percent of the microscopic foodborne organisms that linger after washing and rinsing plates, utensils, glassware and countertops.
    This no-rinse food contact hard surface sanitizer for foodservice operations has multiple applications in buckets, spray bottles, third sinks and floors, and it is effective across a dilution range of 0.25 to 0.67 ounces per gallon of water.
    "With traditional quat sanitizers at a starting concentration of 200 parts per million, there is the potential for the solution to become out of specification quickly, which could put a user at risk for a health code violation or a foodborne illness outbreak," said Denise Chandler, product line manager for Ecolab's Institutional Division. "The OASIS 146 MULTI-QUAT SANITIZER, with a registered food contact surface sanitizing range of 150 to 400 ppm, has a wider zone of sanitizing concentration."
    The wider zone of the quat solution concentration allows the sanitizing solution to adapt to varying water pressure situations.
    "With the commonly used red bucket cleaning programs, cotton terry cloth towels are put into the bucket with the sanitizing solution, and those towels will often adsorb the quaternary ammonium chloride, potentially taking the solution out of specification," Chandler explained. "With OASIS 146 MULTI-QUAT SANITIZER and its related dispensing system, the initial concentration in the red bucket can be set at 300 to 350 parts per million, and even with up to three towels in the bucket for four hours, it still provides effective sanitizing performance."
    The product line is also color-coded so it is easy for foodservice employees to choose the right product for each cleaning task.
    "OASIS 146 MULTI-QUAT SANITIZER is another element in Ecolab's offerings for food safety," added John Tengwall, vice president of Foodservice Marketing for Ecolab's Institutional Division. "We work diligently to help our customers avoid critical health code violations and reduce foodborne illness incidents. Our essential product solutions are designed to work together to both clean and sanitize foodservice operations."
    Ecolab's OASIS 146 MULTI-QUAT SANITIZER is available in 2.5-gallon and 15-gallon packs.
    The Institutional Division of Ecolab Inc. provides a full line of products, programs and services for the foodservice and hospitality industries, including warewashing, on-premise laundry, housekeeping, water filtration and conditioning, specialty kitchen, food safety and laundry products, and pool and spa management. For more information about OASIS 146 MULTI-QUAT SANITIZER, contact Ecolab Inc. at 1-800-35-CLEAN.
    With 2004 sales of $4.2 billion, Ecolab is the leading global developer and marketer of premium cleaning, sanitizing, pest elimination, maintenance and repair products for the hospitality, foodservice, institutional and industrial markets. Ecolab shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ECL.
    Ecolab news releases and other investor information are available on the Internet at www.ecolab.com.

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CONTACT: Ecolab Inc., St. Paul Derek Malmquist, 651-293-4104

KEYWORD: MINNESOTA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: CHEMICALS/PLASTICS TRAVEL RESTAURANTS FOODS/BEVERAGES RETAIL PRODUCT SOURCE: Ecolab Inc.

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