Food Defense

What is ATP? What are expressed in Relative Light Units (RLU). the advantages and RLU numbers are directly proportional disadvantages of using to the amount of ATP, and therefore the ATP bioluminescence amount of organic/food residue or micro- assay? The answers bial biomass on the sampled surface. to these and other What are other uses of ATP bio- frequently asked luminescence assay? ATP biolumi- questions. nescence assay also are used to: • Detect microbial load in raw milk (cfu/ ml). • Assess microbiological quality of beef and pork carcasses and minced meat (cfu/g). • Monitor microbiological activity in indoor air (cfu/ml). • Monitor sanitary conditions in clinical settings. • Monitor yeast and bacteria in beverages and fruit juices. • Monitor cleanliness (bio-burden) of NASA spacecraft (to limit terrestrial microbes being transferred to other planetary bodies) and to detect life (living A Q&A on ATP cells) on other planets. • Monitor water quality. Bioluminescence Assay • Verify cleaning (whether equipment is clean enough to go for production). denosine triphosphate (ATP) food industry for hygiene monitoring and is the molecule used for energy cleaning validation. It was created mainly to What are the disadvantages of storage by all types of living cells validate the cleaning on a production surface ATP bioluminescence assay? (animal, plant, bacterial, yeast, before the use of the sanitizer. The disadvantages of the assay are that: andA mold). ATP transfers energy within • It does not easily distinguish ATP from living cells to power the enzymes needed What are the advantages of microorganisms, animals, and plants. for cellular functions. After cell death, ATP bioluminescence assay? • Luminescence from food can affect the ATP is broken down by autolysis within a It is simple, highly sensitive, cost effective, actual ATP bioluminescence readings. few minutes. rapid (compared to conventional methods • The presence of detergents, sanitizers, which take days), and provides real-time or other chemicals also can affect the What is ATP bioluminescence results within minutes. It saves water used readings. assay? ATP bioluminescence assay cell for rinsing and optimizes sanitizer use. • It is not very sensitive for spore detec- detection was first developed in the 1950s tion since the level of ATP is very low by NASA scientists who were interested in What is the ATP biolumines- in spores. finding life (living cells) on other planets. cence assay principle? All living • It does not substitute using traditional In the food industry, it is a technique used cells (animals, plants, bacteria, yeast, and microbiological analysis. AIB to measure the cleanliness of a surface. mold) contain ATP. It is based on the fire- ATP bioluminescence detects the amount fly’s ATP luminescent reaction. The firefly The author is Director of Microbiology and of ATP, which is an indirect measurement has two chemical compounds, Luciferin Food Safety Education, AIB International. of the amount of organic/food residue on and Luciferase, that react with the insect’s a surface that has the potential to support ATP to produce bioluminescence light. The AIB now offers basic microbiology training for microbial growth and also microbial bio- ATP collected from a surface reacts with food plant personnel, environmental monitor- mass. In simple terms, it measures the dirt Luciferin/Luciferase compounds present ing program assistance, kill step validation or filth on a surface indicating the need for in the sample swab to create biolumines- assistance, and specialized microbiological cleaning and sanitizing. cence light. consulting. To schedule micro consultation at ATP bioluminescence assay is probably The amount of bioluminescence light your facility, contact Food Safety Education the most widely used technique in the is measured by the Luminometer and is at 800-633-5137 or [email protected].

AIB UPDATE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 5