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Safer with science: How microbiology helps monitor cleaning and sterilization
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How clean are the things we touch at home or in public settings? In the early days of the pandemic, many people became hyper-focused on scrubbing any surface they touched. In homes, in work settings and in public places, surfaces and high-touch items were cleaned thoroughly and often.
Experts now know that the virus that causes COVID-19 is primarily transmitted through the air and the risk of infection from touching a surface is low, but the CDC still recommends that facilities have a cleaning plan.
In healthcare facilities, dental offices and food processing plants, having a cleaning monitoring plan has always been a top priority and will continue to be of utmost importance during and after the pandemic.
But how do these facilities ensure surfaces and instruments are clean? Enter microbiology.
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How microbiology helps measure cleaning effectiveness
Microbiological testing can help us detect tiny contaminants and therefore help protect us from them. That testing helps ensure that cleaning and sterilization procedures are effective in food processing and in healthcare settings.
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Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) moleculeHelping keep food safer from contamination
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) is a molecule found in all living cells and is responsible for transferring and storing energy. By testing for ATP, lab technicians can determine whether an environment or instrument has been properly cleaned.
Learn how a chemical reaction from living organisms emits light – or bioluminescence – and can indicate contamination in food and on surfaces.
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Ensuring dental and healthcare equipment sterilization
Biological indicators (BIs) are critical to sterilization monitoring. They use microbiology to verify that the conditions in a sterilization cycle were adequate to kill a population of resistant microorganisms.
Where monitoring microorganisms is key-
Monitoring
Monitoring cleaning efficacy of endoscopes, surgical instruments and environmental surfaces to help identify problem areas.
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Dental offices
Dental offices help verify the effectiveness of sterilization of dental instruments.
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Food production facilities
Food production facilities test production lines for cleaning effectiveness and test food samples for contamination by bacteria.
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Restaurants and cafeterias
Restaurants and cafeterias take samples from food prep areas as well as high-touch customer areas to test for cleaning effectiveness.
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