ATP Monitoring Can Help Adjust to Food Safety’s New Future

One method of hygiene monitoring—detecting adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy-delivering molecule in every living cell—is a proven, simple, cost-effective, and rapid first line of defense in food safety monitoring and hazard detection.

Because viruses do not contain ATP—instead they hijack other cells’ metabolic structure and reproduce using the host cell—ATP monitoring systems cannot detect viruses; however, reducing the possibility of bacteria and other host cells from surfaces reduces the risk of contamination, including viruses. In addition, because SARS-Cov2, like other coronaviruses, is susceptible to strong disinfectant chemicals, a rigorous and thorough cleaning plan can help defend against COVID-19. In fact, CDC and WHO have advised businesses specializing in food, as well as airlines, hospitality companies, and offices, to adopt a more aggressive cleaning and disinfecting program. The EPA, along with providing a list of disinfectants approved for use against SARS-Cov2, has also advised a three-fold reduction in contamination levels on all surfaces that contact products or members of the public.

Ideal Monitoring Systems

For food safety professionals, ATP monitoring delivers on several areas that they have prioritized—faster time to results, accurate readings, reproducibility, actionable data, simplicity of use, lower cost per test, and reliable equipment. Instruments like the Hygiena EnSURE Touch Monitoring System deliver ATP results, expressed in relative light units (RLUs), in 10 seconds.

ATP monitoring instruments are invaluable for their ability to fulfill these needs, and they generate reports, graphs, and charts that help management make cleaning improvements, train personnel, and clearly illustrate performance. Once testing has begun, results can be immediately analyzed to give feedback on cleaning performance and areas for improvement. This is crucial for adjusting methods to meet new supply chains and customer demands. A good ATP system should be easy to use and should include:

• Wi-Fi capabilities and wireless sync technology for secure data transfer to analysis software.
• Ample collection and storage of important testing data such as sample location, line name, cleaner used, date and time stamped, secured access, and surface type.
• Built-in screen sharing to train remote teams; ATP has been shown to be a valuable tool for education of staff and a powerful way to reinforce a facility’s cleanliness and safety culture.
• A responsive shatter-proof touch screen that works while wearing gloves; this ruggedness expands the range in which it can be used.

Just as important as the measuring instrument are the test devices used to collect samples. These need to be convenient to use, have a low risk of cross-contamination, and be able to effectively collect residues. Test devices should be integrated, should be all-in-one and ready to use, and should contain liquid-stable reagents. Test devices should be available for solid surfaces and for liquid samples such as CIP rinses and other water samples. They should have a simple activation step and tolerate ambient temperature abuse.

Government and Public Expectations

USDA and FDA do not endorse a specific technology or brand-name product under the implementation of FSMA, but, like nearly all government agencies, they do mention in certain guidance documents the array of sanitation/cleaning monitoring technologies available, including visual inspection, bioluminescence tags, and ATP detection.

The agencies want to see actions taken when data is out of specification and documentation of efforts to prevent contamination, adulteration, allergen exposure, and other aspects of food safety. How efforts are carried out will vary with each food manufacturer, distributor, farmer, or other part of the supply chain (including import/export).

It’s important to emphasize that ATP does not directly measure any specific microorganism (like bacteria, fungus, or molds) any more than it can detect a virus. Nor is a “zero” RLU reading particularly helpful by itself, because machines and surfaces are different and baseline values need to be set. However, as consumers become more selective in what food they purchase, quantifying and validating your cleaning efforts will be essential to maintaining a healthy supply line and, ultimately, to your brand’s success.