7 replies to this topic

[aaronrohrer]

We package matcha powder with an auger system and have to ATP swab before moving on to another product. Even after using soap, water, and alcohol we still get fails on the ATP swabbing. Anyone else have experience with this ?

[G M]

What kind of ATP reading do you get from a a dilute solution of the matcha?

[aaronrohrer]

  That I am not sure of. We had only been testing cleaned equipment. We finally used alcohol then rinsing to get stuff to clear. Even then with some parts it took multiple washes with alcohol. 

[jfrey123]

If I'm reading correctly you're swabbing ATP after the alcohol sanitizer?  Try doing it between the water rinse and the alcohol sanitizer.  I think just about every sanitizer will throw an ATP reading into unacceptable range.

 

My old spice company only used hot water for cleaning after powders and we had validations to show it was effective.  If your soap and rinse isn't cutting it, I'd ask your chemical rep if there's something better suited.

Edited by jfrey123, 22 May 2025 - 06:49 PM.

[aaronrohrer]

 We only tried using the alcohol this time. Normally we use clean air to blow off equipment, then our mild soap, the rinse with warm/hot water, then ATP, then we use  a diluted Perasan A sanitizer. 

 

We never had this many fails from other products as we did with matcha. Nothing passed even after re cleaning and rinsing. We tested the water ( which came back with a 0 )and was using clean micro fiber towels.

 

 The QC dept allowed the use of alcohol after the soap and before the water rinse. That eventually worked. 

 

Matcha powder is pretty fine. it takes a 1000 mesh size screen to achieve that level of fineness. 

 

 Before the addition of alcohol we were getting fails over 1000 for parts that were cleaned 5-6 times. We are an organic facility so we are limited to what we can use.

[jfrey123]

Dang, 1000 mesh is pretty legit.  My spice plant had a grinder/sifter combo that could pass through a 100 mesh but it took a helluva grinder with two passes to get the overs to pass through.  We also had a phytosterol grinder that could make a sub-micron powder but it required a liquid nitrogen infusion to let the grinder 'shatter' the particles to that size.

 

Is your auger pushing up an incline or horizontal?  If inclined for a significant length, I remember that can generate a fair amount of heat and I'm wondering if the matcha has any oily qualities to it that are causing higher levels of residue to transfer when heated.  Almost like it's getting slightly melted to the auger, which then cakes or glazes the residue to the parts.  If that seems plausible, you might consider using a small electric kettle to boil some water and apply to a part of the auger, then wash/wipe and see if that helps bring an acceptable ATP result.  If the boiling water works better than the hot you can get from your taps, you can make an argument that a large steam cleaner might be necessary for matcha runs.

Edited by jfrey123, 23 May 2025 - 04:18 PM.

[aaronrohrer]

 Boiling water is a great idea. thank you.

 

 Our vacuum system and auger does not produce to much heat. It has to be something in the matcha tea leaf that reacts negatively with the ATP swabbing. 

Edited by aaronrohrer, 23 May 2025 - 04:31 PM.

[GMO]

What's your actual cleaning method?  When you say "mild soap" what do you mean?  

 

I'd suspect matcha is pretty "buggy" and likely to have high ATP counts but I also suspect you're not removing it.

 

I'd stop using air to remove the dust.  All that would do is throw the dust into the air which might be part of your problem, it's then settling (gradually and probably almost invisibly if it's that fine) and then spiking your results.  It's also really bad practice from a safety point of view, it sounds like it should be an ATEX rated area and by blowing dust around you're making that risk worse.

 

I'd get an ATEX (explosion rated) vacuum and remove the gross dust that way.  Then rinse your machine.  Apply foam (most detergents can be foamed and this is normally better than applying as a solution as there is energy from the foam which will break down residues).  Scrub allowing 20-30 mins contact time.  Thorough rinse then see if your ATP results come back lower.  I agree I'd check before sanitation because you want to make sure you're removing the matcha.