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Evaluation of two methods for monitoring surface cleanliness—ATP bioluminescence and traditional hygiene swabbing
Author(s) -
Davidson C. A.,
Griffith C. J.,
Peters A. C.,
Fielding L. M.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
luminescence
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.428
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1522-7243
pISSN - 1522-7235
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1522-7243(199901/02)14:1<33::aid-bio514>3.0.co;2-i
Subject(s) - hygiene , context (archaeology) , reproducibility , food science , veterinary medicine , environmental science , chemistry , biology , chromatography , medicine , paleontology , pathology
The minimum bacterial detection limits and operator reproducibility of the Biotrace Clean‐Trace™ Rapid Cleanliness Test and traditional hygiene swabbing were determined. Areas (100 cm 2 ) of food grade stainless steel were separately inoculated with known levels of Staphylococcus aureus (NCTC 6571) and Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922). Surfaces were sampled either immediately after inoculation while still wet, or after 60 min when completely dry. For both organisms the minimum detection limit of the ATP Clean‐Trace™ Rapid Cleanliness Test was 10 4 cfu/100 cm 2 ( p < 0.05) and was the same for wet and dry surfaces. Both organism type and surface status (i.e. wet or dry) influenced the minimum detection limits of hygiene swabbing, which ranged from 10 2 cfu/100 cm 2 to >10 7 cfu/100 cm 2 . Hygiene swabbing percentage recovery rates for both organisms were less than 0.1% for dried surfaces but ranged from 0.33% to 8.8% for wet surfaces. When assessed by six technically qualified operators, the Biotrace Clean‐Trace™ Rapid Cleanliness Test gave superior reproducibility for both clean and inoculated surfaces, giving mean coefficients of variation of 24% and 32%, respectively. Hygiene swabbing of inoculated surfaces gave a mean CV of 130%. The results are discussed in the context of hygiene monitoring within the food industry. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.