Robert W. Powitz, Ph.D., M.P.H., RS, CF-SP, a forensic sanitarian, is Principal Consultant and Technical Director of Old Saybrook, Connecticut-based R.W. Powitz & Associates, a professional corporation of forensic sanitarians who specialize in environmental and public health litigation support services to law firms, insurance companies, governmental agencies, and industry.
Cleaning program validation that primarily relies on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) monitoring can yield poor results if a few basic strategies are not incorporated into the sampling program to eliminate bias. These include probability sampling, uniformity of the sample, as well as understanding the limitation of the test instrument and the interpretation of results.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, all industries that need to maintain microbiologically safe environments have shown a renewed interest in antimicrobial coatings and their application.
When it comes to defining “clean” in the food industry, an objective definition does not exist, and each facility must recognize that what is deemed clean now may not stay clean when subjected to the environment.
