Bacterial testing or ATP?

ATP-meter currently ATP-meter in the food industry, healthcare, environmental and health protection, and many other fields. Before choosing an ATP system, it may be a good idea to ask yourself why you specifically need an ATP-meter cleaning verification. What are the alternatives? 

Microbiological analyses are traditionally used to objectively measure hygiene conditions. The most common example is a plate count for total aerobic bacteria. These methods are proven and sensitive, but they require a culture process lasting several days, which makes them impractical. The results can also be difficult for the untrained to interpret.

If we skip the microbiological tests, there is a wide range of chemical indicator tests to choose from. What they have in common is that they are colorimetric and qualitative, meaning they produce a color change that indicates whether something is clean or not. This works well in many applications, such as monitoring dishwashing processes, but is less useful if you need to quantify hygiene levels and make comparisons.

The Benefits of ATP-meter

ATP is a biochemical testing method that has established itself as by far the most important rapid method for hygiene monitoring worldwide. Many standards in both the healthcare and food industries also recommend ATP.

The benefits of an ATP-meter can be summarized ATP-meter four points:

• Fast – sampling and measurement take just a few seconds, which means faster feedback and the ability to take immediate action.
• Simple— no special prior knowledge is required to use ATP-meter.
• An educational and practical tool for inspectors, managers, and trainers to quickly demonstrate the impact of effective cleaning. ATP motivates and engages.
• Informative – ATP provide quantitative information about the effectiveness of cleaning with regard to both living and dead cellular material. Low ATP indicate that there is little “bacterial food” and a lower risk of bacterial growth. The opposite is true for high ATP. ATP can be used to prevent and detect serious hygiene risks and quality deficiencies.

The price per ATP-meter

Portable ATP-meter come a long way since the first models were introduced in the late 1990s. In the beginning, ATP-meter weighed ATP-meter kilograms or more and filled an entire suitcase. The price tag, in today’s currency, was around 200,000 SEK. The measurement method was also relatively complicated and required sample preparation and pipetting.

Today, everything has literally become “lighter” and cheaper. Portable ATP-meter a few hundred grams and are designed so that the operator can handle them with one hand. No laborious procedures are required. Sampling and testing are performed in the same test tube using pre-mixed ATP reagents. Prices for ATP systems are now about one-tenth of what they were when it all began. 

There are a dozen ATP-meter the market that differ in terms of quality, design, accessories, software, services, and the price of ATP-meter ATP tests. Suppliers also vary greatly in terms of expertise and support. The cheaper ones generally provide no training, service, or support. All of these are important factors that should be weighed carefully before making a decision. 

If you're having a hard time deciding, take comfort in the fact that competition is fierce. No ATP can set prices that don't reflect the quality of their service. In other words, you get what you pay for.

Eight Must-Have Features of a Modern ATP-meter

In addition to the points mentioned above, there are also specific technical issues to consider. In the table below, we have compiled eight must-have features that we believe a modern ATP-meter have.