Tools for hygiene control in food production facilities

25 october's 2024

In the food industry, maintaining cleanliness is the foundation of food safety and protecting people’s health.

Regular production control is the key to product cleanliness and quality. This allows you to avoid problems and prevent damage to the goods.

Every year, more and more people demand that high standards of cleanliness be observed in production. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce new and more effective control methods.

State-of-the-art devices, such as luminometers and ATP tests, help you quickly and accurately determine the level of water purity. With their help, you can quickly check surfaces, equipment and premises, which greatly simplifies the control process and prevents food spoilage.

Why is hygiene control important?

Hygiene control at food processing plants is one of the main measures to prevent dangerous contaminants from entering the final product. In an intensive production environment, where many technological processes are involved, it is important to control the cleanliness of equipment and work areas in order to avoid microbiological and chemical contamination of the equipment. Violation of sanitary standards can lead to serious consequences-from product damage to a threat to the health of consumers.

01 Product contamination risks and their impact on consumer health Contamination of food can occur for various reasons: from improper cleaning to violation of storage rules or contact of food with non-sterile equipment. The main risks include bacterial and viral infections, which can cause poisoning and spread of diseases among consumers. Not to mention that such incidents can cause irreparable damage to the company's reputation and lead to significant financial losses, including recalled batches of products and legal sanctions.

02 Regulatory requirements and hygiene standards in food processing plants To ensure product safety, there are strict regulatory requirements governing cleanliness in food processing plants. Among them are international standards such as HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) and ISO 22000, which oblige manufacturers to monitor the state of cleanliness and regularly conduct hygiene checks. Failure to comply with these requirements may result not only in fines and bans on the sale of products, but also in the closure of the enterprise.

03 The importance of fast and accurate cleanliness monitoring for compliance with standards Promptness and accuracy in hygiene controls are crucial to ensure compliance with safety standards. Unlike traditional inspection methods, which can be slow and not always reliable, modern tools such as luminometers and ATP tests allow you to instantly assess the condition of the surface and detect possible contamination. This allows the company to immediately take measures to eliminate problems and prevent contamination, which is especially important in conditions of round-the-clock production and high product turnover. Hygiene control is not just a part of production, but a key element of ensuring safety and quality, which requires constant attention and the use of modern technologies.

Luminometer: how it works and why it is needed

The luminometer is an effective tool for hygiene control in food processing plants. It quickly and accurately detects the presence of organic residues on various surfaces, which can contribute to the reproduction of bacteria and other microorganisms. Its ease of use and speed of obtaining results make it indispensable for ensuring cleanliness and safety on production lines.

The principle of operation of the luminometer. Measuring the level of biological activity on surfaces

The principle of operation of the luminometer is based on determining the content of ATP — a universal molecule present in all living cells. When ATP interacts with the reagent, bioluminescence occurs, which is recorded by the device. The brightness of the glow indicates the level of biological activity of the surface, which allows you to quickly assess the cleanliness and safety risk of the product.

Main industrial applications

Luminometers are widely used to check the cleanliness of production equipment, conveyor belts, work surfaces, tools and other objects in contact with food. They can be used both at the stage of preparation for the start of work, and for checking after cleaning the house. For example, a luminometer can show whether the cleaning was carried out efficiently, or whether there are organic residues on the surface that require additional cleaning. This control is particularly important in areas with high hygiene requirements, such as dairy or meat production facilities.

Advantages

One of the main advantages of the luminometer is its efficiency. Unlike traditional methods that require laboratory tests, the luminometer allows you to get results in just a few seconds. This makes it possible to quickly make decisions and eliminate detected contaminants before they can affect the company’s products.

An additional advantage is the ease of use: the test does not require specialized skills or long-term training of the company’s staff. It is enough to apply the reagent to the test surface, place the sample in a luminometer and get the result on the device screen. This makes it an indispensable tool for daily cleanliness monitoring in enterprises with high hygiene requirements.

Tests for determining ATP on the surface

Tests for the determination of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) are a simple and effective way to check the cleanliness of food processing surfaces. These tests allow you to instantly assess the presence of organic contaminants, such as food residues, bacteria, or other biological materials. Due to its accuracy and speed, ATP tests have become a popular tool for ensuring hygienic safety in the food production process.

What is ATP and why its presence on the surface is important for purity control

ATP is a molecule found in all living cells and is involved in the process of energy transfer. Its presence on work surfaces and equipment indicates that there are remnants of biological materials, such as food, microorganisms or bacteria. If ATP remains on the surface, it can create conditions for pathogenic microorganisms to multiply, which increases the risk of contamination of products and threatens their safety.

The presence of ATP on surfaces is important to monitor for two reasons: first, it allows you to assess the quality of cleaning, and second, to identify potential risks to the sanitary condition of production areas. The lower the ATP, the cleaner the surface and the lower the risk of contamination that threatens the quality of food.

How do tests for determining ATP work?

ATP tests are easy to use in everyday practice, and they do not require specialized knowledge. Here’s a step-by-step guide to how to do them:

Preparation of the test: First you need to take a special test swab, which comes with a luminometer. A swab is used to collect a sample from a surface that needs to be tested for the presence of ATP.
Sample collection: Run a swab over the test surface, collecting material from the selected test area. It is important to collect samples from places such as work desks, equipment, and tools that come into contact with food.

3. Test reaction: After collecting the sample, the swab is placed in a special test tube with a reagent that reacts with ATP and causes bioluminescence-glow. This process takes only a few seconds.

4. Reading the results: A test tube with a swab is placed in a luminometer, which instantly measures the level of light. The higher the level of ATP, the stronger the glow, which indicates the presence of organic pollutants. The results are displayed on the instrument screen and can be used to decide whether additional cleaning is required.

Putting tests into practice

ATP tests can be used at different stages of production to assess the condition of surfaces. For example, they can be used to check equipment and work surfaces before starting a shift to make sure they are ready for use. This allows you to identify dirt that may have remained after previous use of the product.

Tests are also effective for checking the quality of cleaning after the completion of production processes. In this case, they help to determine how thoroughly the cleaning has been carried out and whether there are any organic residues on the surfaces that may pose a risk to product safety.

How do I choose tools for hygiene control?

Choosing the right tools for hygiene control is the key to effective cleanliness management in food processing plants. Luminometers and ATP tests play an important role in this process, so it is important to choose the equipment that best meets your needs and provides accurate results. Let’s look at the main criteria that will help you make the right choice, compare the solutions available on the market, and give recommendations on how to integrate them into the company’s production processes.

Selection criteria: accuracy, usability, speed of testing

Accuracy
One of the most important criteria when choosing a tool is its accuracy. The luminometer should provide reliable results, minimizing the number of false-positive or false-negative tests. An accurate device will allow you to quickly detect the presence of ATP on the surface and take the necessary measures to eliminate contamination.
Usability
Since hygiene controls are often carried out and must be integrated into everyday work processes, it is important that the appliance is easy to operate. Ideal tools should be portable, lightweight,and easy to understand, even for employees without specialized development experience. This will save you time on training and increase the efficiency of using the app.

Testing speed
In a production environment, every minute counts, so the speed of getting results is also very important. Luminometers and ATP tests, which provide instant results, allow you to immediately identify contamination and quickly take action. The optimal tool should give results no later than a few seconds or minutes after the test is performed.

Comparison of different types of luminometers and ATP tests on the market

There are several types of luminometers and ATPASE tests on the market, which differ in their characteristics and capabilities:

01 Luminometers with integrated tests These are devices that work in conjunction with tests for determining ATP. Such luminometers usually have built-in analysis systems and can display the results on the screen in real time. They are convenient because the entire process — from collecting a sample to getting results-takes only a few minutes. These devices are often highly accurate and easy to operate.

02 Analog tests with manual evaluation Simpler test models may require manual reading of the test results. While these instruments may be cheaper, they are less convenient and may produce less accurate results compared to digital luminometers. For large businesses where speed and accuracy are critical, such tests may be less preferable.

03 Luminometers with additional functions Some modern luminometers have additional features, such as the ability to transfer data to a computer for further analysis, or integration with accounting and monitoring systems. These devices can be useful for larger businesses, where it is necessary to monitor compliance with sanitary standards on a regular basis and keep an accurate record of health checks.

Tips for integrating these tools into hygiene control processes

To make the most effective use of luminometers and ATP tests, it is important to integrate them into existing hygiene control processes:

1. Create regular checks

Include the use of luminometers in your daily or weekly cleaning and inspection plans. Regular testing will help you identify problems in a timely manner and maintain a high level of cleanliness.

2. Staff training

Make sure that all employees responsible for hygiene and cleaning are trained in the correct use of the appliances. This minimizes the risk of errors during tests and helps optimize the quality control process.

3. Automation of monitoring

If your luminometer supports data transmission, consider automating the monitoring of the plant’s hygiene status. This will help you track trends, identify high-risk areas, and generally improve your water quality control system.

4. Results analysis and feedback

Analyze the data obtained to understand which areas of production require more attention, and where it is possible to improve the cleaning process. Regular feedback and process adjustments will make hygiene monitoring more effective.

Integration of luminometers and ATP tests into the hygiene control system is a step towards improving product quality and safety at the enterprise.

Modern technologies of hygienic control-guarantee of food production safety

Regular and accurate hygiene control is an integral part of the work of a food company, where the quality of products depends on the purity of the product. Without control, there may be risks to the health of consumers and losses for the company. State-of-the-art purity testing methods, such as luminometers and ATP tests, simplify the process and instantly detect organic contamination. These tools are highly accurate, easy to use, and responsive.

For successful implementation of these methods, it is important to integrate them into your work processes, train your staff, and set quality control schedules. Automated monitoring, analysis of results, and regular testing will help maintain cleanliness and identify problem areas to improve sanitation.

The use of innovative hygiene control tools is a reliable way to ensure product safety, protect consumer health and strengthen the company’s reputation.

Advantages

Work with us

Own production

We ourselves produce most of the items for the system: Pumping stations, foam stations, mobile carts, holders, mounting stands, etc.

Own Trademark

We have registered our own trademark and always make sure that the client is satisfied and recommends us to specialists from other enterprises

Our work experience

The OdysseySystems company provides a full range of services in matters of cleanliness in food enterprises: from application processing to facility commissioning and personnel training. Our specialists will install the system in any region of the Russian Federation.

Providing a test sample

For enterprises that have water treatment systems installed that provide a working pressure of 20 bar, we can provide a test sample of a foam satellite for 30 days for operation at the enterprise.

Staged financing

The advance payment is 50% of the total contract amount. 30% is paid before shipping the goods to the customer. 20% is paid within 10 days after signing the equipment acceptance certificate

Turnkey works

The OdysseySystems company provides a full range of services in matters of cleanliness in food enterprises: from application processing to facility commissioning and personnel training. Our specialists will install the system in any region of the Russian Federation.

+7 (3852) 22-32-14

+7-913-250-76-88

mail@odysseysystems.ru
Russian Federation, 656037, Altai Territory. Barnaul, Kalinin ave. 116/10
OGRN: 1142208000164
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ООО "OdysseySystems" 2014 - 2023

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