Comparison of coliform paper test and ATP bioluminescence assay for monitoring the disinfection of kitchen utensils in canteens of hebei, China

• Published in: Heliyon Vol. 9; no. 4; p. e14839
• Main Authors: Tang, Yue, Sun, Jie, Dong, Derong, Zhang, Xiushan, Jia, Ruizhong, Wang, Yong, Chen, Yong, Guo, Jinpeng, Jin, Lianqun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-04-2023; Elsevier
• Subjects: ATP bioluminescence; Canteen; Coliform paper test; Hygiene management; Hygiene supervision; Kitchen disinfection; Kitchen utensils disinfection; Coliform paper test; Canteen; ATP bioluminescence; Kitchen disinfection; Hygiene management; Kitchen utensils disinfection; Hygiene supervision
• ISSN: 2405-8440; 2405-8440
• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14839

Two common techniques used in canteen hygiene supervision, are the coliform paper assay, which is the standard method, and the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence method. The coliform paper assay requires the incubation of the sample, which is time-consuming and does not provide a real-time assessment. Meanwhile, the ATP bioluminescence assay can provide real-time kitchenware cleanliness data.
This study aimed to compare these two methods for evaluating the sanitary condition of kitchenware and explore whether the ATP bioluminescence assay can be used as a standard method in sanitary inspection.
In this study, the cluster random sampling method was used to sample kitchenware from six canteens in the Hebei province, China. Samples were, assessed through the coliform paper test and ATP bioluminescence assay.
Kitchenware negative rates for the coliform paper method and the ATP test were 64.39% and 49.07%, respectively. The Escherichia coli positive detection rate grew steadily as the relative light units (RLU) value for the ATP technique increased. The kappa coefficient for the two methods was 0.549, indicating that the two methods yield relatively consistent results.
Although currently not considered a standard method, simply using ATP detection is advantageous for quick on-site detection in catering unit hygiene supervision.
•The coliform paper test and the ATP bioluminescence assay were compared.•Both were used to assess hygiene and disinfection in kitchenware and settings.•The ATP assay was superior for testing disinfection and unsterilized tableware.•The consistency of the two methods for evaluating kitchenware hygiene was not high.•The ATP assay was useful to quickly assess the hygiene of kitchen utensils.