Food Safety Magazine, February/March 2013

Food Safety Insider: Sanitation SolutionsImportance of AccurateMeasurement of Cleanersand Sanitizerswww.biocontrolsys.comSanitation plays a critical role in the food safety industry.Proper sanitation is a key component to protectingfood manufacturing facilities from introducing spoilageor pathogenic organisms to their products, surfaces and equipment.Cleaners and sanitizers must be accurately measured andcorrectly prepared to ensure they areeffective. Too little sanitizer allows forthe potential growth of these organisms,whereas too much sanitizer can act as anadulterant to the product and unnecessarilyraise sanitation costs. There areseveral methods for measuring chemicalconcentrations, and the goal for qualityassurance managers in each facility is tofind the method that is the most accurate,efficient and cost-effective.Test StripsOne commonly used method is teststrips that, when placed in a preparedchemical solution, produce a color change based on the amountof active chemical in the solution. The test strip’s large incrementalconcentration values and visual color result create a lack ofprecision and variability in operator interpretation. Test resultsmust be recorded, tracked and analyzed manually.Chemical Titration KitsThe use of titration kits requires an arduous process of dispensingprecise volumes of an indicator solution into a mixtureof sanitizer and source water to produce a color change. A singledrop or less can cause the indicator’s change in color, thus renderingthe result of the test invalid, and the process must be repeated.Titration kits are laborious to operate and require calculationsto determine the result, which must be manually recorded.Chemical InjectorsChemical vendors often supply customers with inline chemicalinjectors. These devices are installed in conjunction with thefacility’s water lines to mix the sanitation chemical and water ata defined proportionate rate to create an “on-demand” homogeneouschemical mixture. Injectors typically require an intricateinstallation procedure and routine maintenance, halting the sanitationprocess. Independent test methods are required to verify theinjectors are mixing at an appropriate rate and results must bemanually recorded.ConductivityAnother method of measuring chemical concentration levelsis by testing the solution’s conductivity. The conductivity of anaqueous solution is determined by the concentration of ions inthe solution. Measuring a solution’sconductivity and then comparing it tothe conductivity of a known standardfor that chemical allow for a quick andprecise determination of the chemical’sconcentration.Our SolutionThe LIGHTNING MVP ® HazardAnalysis and Critical Control Points(HACCP) monitoring system fromBioControl includes an optional probethat can be used to determine theprecise concentration of a sanitizer orcleaner, helping to ensure they are beingaccurately prepared to clean andsanitize effectively.The LIGHTNING MVP ConductivityProbe’s results are accurate to withinfive percent: five times more accuratethan test strips or titration kits, whichhistorically only provide ± 25% accuracy.This 20 percent gain in accuracyprovides significant cost savings for afacility. Less sanitizer will be used dueto inaccurate measurements, and expensiveplant equipment will be sparedthe corrosive effects of excessively concentratedchemicals. Conversely, theprobe ensures sanitizer concentration issufficient to prevent the growth of microorganisms,protecting the consumerfrom foodborne illnesses. In turn, themanufacturer is kept safe by preventingoutbreaks and protecting the productfrom premature spoilage, protecting thebrand’s reputation and the companyand its employees from liability.Designed with an epoxy-basedbody, the probe is rugged, durable, requireslittle maintenance and is safe foruse in food manufacturing plants. Theprobe automatically stores and recordsdata that, when used in conjunctionwith the LIGHTNING MVP software,can be uploaded to a computer fortracking and trending analysis with aclick of a button.While there are several methods fordetermining sanitizer concentration, themost accurate, responsive, cost-effectiveand easiest for operator use is theLIGHTNING MVP Conductivity Probe.The ability to record, track and analyzedata will allow managers to adhere totheir HACCP and hygiene programswhile reducing overhead costs.For more information, please contactBioControl at 800.245.0113 or bye-mail at info@biocontrolsys.com.36 F o o d S a f e t y M a g a z i n e