BACTERIAL TEST RESULTS WITHIN A WORKING DAY (4 to 7 HOURS)

Hygiena International Ltd has further developed their highly successful ATP bioluminescence system to specifically measure bacterial contamination, giving results within a working day or shift.

The development involves their low cost but highly sensitive EnSURE hand-held luminometer, combined with their new versatile MicroSnap Total test. This system enumerates bacteria in raw, cooked and liquid foodstuffs as well as on solid surfaces such that results are available in 7 hours or less. The system has been successfully launched at the IAFP (International Association of Food Protection) in Europe and USA as well as the Food Safety Management Conference (Chipping Campden, July 2012).

Established laboratory-based procedures to measure bacterial contamination of foodstuffs can prove to be a lengthy and costly process. The common microbiology test for establishing total bacteria (Total Viable Count , or Aerobic Plate Counts) require laboratory incubation for 3 days in a Petri dish after which colonies are counted to give results expressed at colony forming units (CFU). The optimum number of bacterial colonies to be counted on an agar plate is 30 – 300, thus several decimal dilutions are required to find the detectable range. This means that a lot of time, labour and expense is required for sample preparation and testing. The established convention assumes that one colony is desired from a single bacterium which is a gross over-simplification such that the results obtained are imprecise. Automated systems have been developed to process hundreds of samples but these have a high capital cost and those offering rapid detection systems require measurements to be made over 12 -18 hours such that results are not available until the next day.

The Hygiena MicroSnap Total bioluminogenic test system has a large dynamic range, being able to detect 10 - 10,000 bacteria without the need for serial dilutions, and every viable bacterium in the sample is measured. Accordingly the result is more precise and sample preparation is simpler, thus saving time and labour. MicroSnap requires simple, low cost equipment and being totally mobile, it can be successfully utilised in small remote locations.

MicroSnap Total can be used to test almost any sample and has been used to measure contamination in a wide variety of food types and on solid surfaces. Contamination levels of <10 cfu/g of ground beef were detected in 7 hours whereas >10,000 cfu/g were identified within only 4 hours. Similar results were also obtained for a variety of ready-to-eat foods and good correlations were obtained with the plate count.

For the first time, ATP technology has been modified to be independent of ATP in the sample, such that many specific test applications can be developed, and all of which can be performed on the same, low cost, portable instrument (EnSURE).

This multiple test platform includes specific tests to measure bacterial contamination including specific indicator and pathogenic bacteria. The MicroSnap range includes tests for Total Counts, Coliforms and E. coli. Tests for Listeria species, L. monocytogenes, and Staph. aureus as well as its antibiotic resistant forms are also in development. The ZymoSnap range detects enzymes of industrial importance such as phosphatases for dairy and meat products, proteases, lipases and amylase giving results in minutes. SuperSnap is a high-sensitivity surface hygiene test giving results within 15 seconds, that is used as part of an allergen management program together with a high sensitivity protein test (AllerSnap).

Further information is available on request to:

Hygiena International Ltd
Unit 11
Wenta Business Centre
Colne Way
Watford
Hertfordshire
WD24 7ND

Tel: 01923 818821
Fax: 01923 818825

enquiries@hygiena.net
www.hygiena.net 

 

Company Information

 

CELEBRATING SUCCESS

Building on 30 years of manufacturing experience in ATP bioluminescence, and heralding the 10th anniversary of the Hygiena brand, the company continues to innovate to develop simple rapid detection products and solutions for its customers.

Hygiena’s market leading qualities of proven high performance, repeatability and cost effectiveness have made it the system for choice for many leading blue chip companies around the world.

1st liquid stable ATP detection reagent (1999)

1st universal ATP reagent swab device (2000)

1st truly portable low cost ATP Hygiene monitoring system (SystemSURE, 2003; improved 2006)

Independently verified and proven to give the best performance (2006, 2010, 2011)

Business award recognition in several industries

>25,000 systems sold

Range of simple colour hygiene tests

New test platform for 21st Century
- New EnSURE instrument (2011)
- More sensitive reagent (SuperSnap) supporting allergen control
- Detection of microbes and specific bacteria in 7 hours (MicroSnap)
- Detection of process indicators in <5 mins (ZymoSnap)

Hygiena’s promise is to supply products that deliver simplicity, convenience, excellent performance and value for money, backed-up by expert knowledge with first class service and support.