Dairy Insider - Thermo Fisher

The Science Behind Neogen’s
AccuPoint ® ATP Sanitation Monitoring System
Author:
Robert Artuso
International Sales
Manager Neogen
Corporation
bartuso@neogen.
com
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is
found in every living cell. Since
most of the food and drink we
consume was at some point living,
ATP is present in most residue
that remains after a food contact
surface is cleaned.
ATP is also present in bacteria as well
as yeast and mold or other spoilage
organisms.
For this reason, the measurement of ATP
levels on a food contact surface or within
a water sample has become the de-facto
standard food and beverage producers
utilise to determine the cleanliness levels
of their operations.
Buffer
The AccuPoint Sampler
Luciferase and luciferin
on reagent pad
ATP is collected
on the sample pad
ATP from the sample pad
combines with the reagents
and a chemiluminescent
reaction begins
What ATP systems can’t do
ATP systems are not designed for total plate counts, or
detecting food allergens.
ATP results do not correlate with
microbial counts
A common misconception is that the results received from
ATP testing systems in relative light units (RLUs) for surface
samples, for example, should in some way correlate with a
microbial total plate count result for the same samples.
The amount of ATP in microbial cells can vary dramatically
and a single CFU can actually be comprised of one cell or
many cells. Bacteria need food to grow, and therefore, there
will never be an occasion where there is only microbial ATP
on a surface.
In theory there is a correlation between CFU levels and RLU
units; however, it is impossible to determine whether the
RLU results are due to the presence of bacteria, yeast, mold
or food residue. Most probably, it is a combination of these
things.
ATP systems are not direct indicators of bacterial presence;
however, they are the fastest and most convenient method
for determining the potential for these organisms to exist
on your food contact surface - therefore an indication of
how clean your surfaces are. There is simply no faster or
easier way to know that you could have a problem or that
certain areas in your facility require more vigorous cleaning.
Therefore, the issue can be corrected before it becomes a
serious problem.
ATP testing is a poor tool in an
allergen control program
Another misconception is the use of ATP sanitation
monitoring systems in a food allergen control program. The
theory here is that if all or most of the ATP on a surface or
in a clean-in-place (CIP) system has been eliminated, all
of the possible allergenic protein has also been eliminated.
This is not the case as 1) An allergenic protein can exist on
a surface at up to 100 times the level of concern and still be
below the detection level of any ATP system; and 2) You can’t
know how much of an ATP result is from an allergenic protein
and how much is from something else.
So why use an
ATP monitoring system?
»
»
The purpose of ATP testing is to achieve and defensively
document effective cleaning by following the principle
that if biomass is not present on surfaces after cleaning
there is not enough medium for microbial growth.
Properly utilised, sanitation monitoring systems allow for
the almost instantaneous detection and measurement
of ATP on food contact surfaces, which provides an
objective, actionable tool for the monitoring of a facility’s
sanitation efforts.
Exclusive Dairy Insider Special
For a limited time only the AccuPoint 2
ATP Sanitation Monitoring system is $3600
saving you $500 on upfront investment.
This package includes software, USB data
cable, battery charger, mobile carry case
and training DVD.
*Hurry this offer ends 31st August 2013.
Quote promo code NEO9602
Call 1300 735 292 to place your order or go to
www.thermofisher.com.au/godirect to order online.
$3600 *
NEO9602
6
www.thermofisher.com.au
1300 735 292
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