What is HACCP and why is cleaning verification essential?
HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is the internationally recognised food safety system that identifies, analyses and controls hazards in the production process. One of the pillars of every HACCP plan is ensuring cleanliness: equipment and surfaces that come into contact with food must demonstrably be clean before production starts.
Traditional microbiological methods require 24 to 48 hours of incubation time. In a modern food factory this is unacceptably long. ATP bioluminescence offers a scientifically substantiated solution that delivers results in 5 seconds.
ATP as a verification method within HACCP
ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is present in all living cells: bacteria, yeasts, moulds and food residues. The presence of ATP on a surface after cleaning is a direct indicator that the cleaning process was insufficiently effective.
Core principle
A high RLU value = more biological material present. A low RLU value confirms that cleaning was effective.
Linking ATP measurement points to CCPs
The ATP verification workflow for HACCP
Visual inspection
Clean the surface according to the applicable SSOP. Perform a visual inspection. Are there visible residues? Clean again before starting ATP testing.
ATP measurement with PocketSwab Plus
Swab a surface of 10×10 cm (100 cm²). Activate the swab and measure on the novaLUM II-X. The result appears in 5 seconds.
Assessment: PASS or FAIL
Compare the RLU value with the set limit. PASS: production can start. FAIL: re-clean and retest. Document both results.
Trend analysis via novaLINK 6
Save all results in novaLINK 6. Analyse trends by location, shift and operator. Persistent FAIL results require revision of the SSOP.
Documentation for HACCP audit
Export reports from novaLINK 6 as PDF or Excel. Retain RLU values, CFU correlations and corrective actions as audit evidence.
Correlation with microbiological tests
ATP monitoring does not replace microbiological tests, but forms a rapid first line of verification. Charm Sciences advises running parallel microbiological tests during initial implementation to establish a correlation between RLU values and CFU/ml counts. After validation, ATP monitoring can take over daily verification, while microbiological tests are performed periodically for confirmation.