ATP Swab versus AccuClean
Hello,
We are currently using the Neogen Reveal 3D test for a specific allergens and using the ATP swab for non specific allergen like "celery" and "coconut".
Now our corporate QC people wanted to use the new Advanced AccuClean for Protein Residue for Celery and Coconut.
Should the ATP swab be sufficient enough to verify cleaning without having to introduce a third set of swabs to our facility?
Let me know your thoughts.
I appreciate your feedback.
Thank you.
Hello,
We are currently using the Neogen Reveal 3D test for a specific allergens and using the ATP swab for non specific allergen like "celery" and "coconut".
Now our corporate QC people wanted to use the new Advanced AccuClean for Protein Residue for Celery and Coconut.
Should the ATP swab be sufficient enough to verify cleaning without having to introduce a third set of swabs to our facility?
Let me know your thoughts.
I appreciate your feedback.
Thank you.
Verification of "Cleaning" and Verification of "absence" of allergens ABC are 2 different objectives. Hence >1 Procedure
We are looking for absence of allergens
Should the ATP swab be sufficient enough to verify cleaning without having to introduce a third set of swabs to our facility?
Your question ?
ATP or protein are both hygiene indicator tests. They do not test for a specific allergen.
ATP is destroyed during food processing and is not suitable to detect product ATP (from plant or animal cells) of heated food products. Therefore in most cases the protein test is preferred for allergen management verification above ATP.
Although celery lateral flow kits do not exist, a coconut kit is available from Bioavid/ r-Biopharm and 3M- formerly Elution.
I am not sure what the FDA stance is but with USDA if you try to use ATP and you get any reading that there is something on the line then, if you get the right inspector, he/she can argue that it could be the allergen protein residue as you can not prove it was not. If you are trying to prove you do not have allergen residue after cleaning then suggest use the tests designed for it. You can still use ATP to verify your sanitation procedures are working in general but from our experience ATP is not the best support to say you are allergen free. If there is not an allergen test for what you need there are actual protein residue tests that you might consider as at least they focus on protein and not general organic material.
We do not use the allergen test kits all the time; we just use them periodically to validate our cleaning procedures are working and then a trained individual verifies each time that proper cleaning procedures were followed when cleaning after an allergen and of course a Pre-Op inspection must occur each time after the sanitation process is completed.