In the food and beverage processing and production industry, ensuring that the processing systems are fully sanitized and free from potentially harmful bacteria and other forms of contaminants is critical. Using specialized products from reputable manufacturers will be a central part of any testing protocol.
The Chemical Residue Concern
The concern is that sometimes the chemicals used to clean the systems for CIP (Clean In Place) or COP (Clean Out of Place) options can be harmful to consumers as well. In most cases, residual amounts of these chemicals and sanitizers will impact the taste and quality of the food, but in some cases, they can also pose health risks themselves.
Regardless of the type of system and the cleaning and sanitizing product used, it is important for the food or beverage processor to use some form of testing to make sure the residue from these chemicals and products is at or below the required levels. To complete these tests quickly and easily, sanitizer test strips should be used.
What to Consider
When choosing the best type of sanitizer test strips, there are a few key selection criteria to keep in mind. First, it is important to choose test strips that are developed in conjunction with the standards and protocols by the specific governing body.
Always look for test strips that have distinct and easy to spot color changes to indicate the semi-quantitative results. When the indicator pad color change is difficult to detect between the different markers (the ppm levels), it is easier to make mistakes in reading the strips.
The best sanitizer test strips are designed to be used in a specific type of application and at a specific parts per million range. It will be important to understand both the application and the range of testing to make the best selection of strips from a given manufacturer.
