2017 Volume 32 Issue 4 Pages 210-215
Objective: To monitor the hygienic status of the Division of Nutrition kitchen of Shizuoka Cancer Center, Shizuoka, Japan, using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) swab testing.
Methods: Between June 2011 and December 2015, ATP swab testing was performed 25 times on eight statuses located outside unsterile areas of the Division of Nutrition kitchen of Shizuoka Cancer Center [countertop, food trolley (doors and handle), conveyor belt (belt), moveable work table, sink, fridge, and oven handles]. Relative light unit (RLU) values of each status were measured based on swab ATP levels, which were measured using Lumitester® PD-20. The number of times each status was positive for contamination (RLU ≥500; standard methods of analysis in food safety regulation; Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan) was investigated. To evaluate whether the hygienic status was maintained over time, the correlation between RLU values and the number of times the swab test had previously been performed was also investigated for each status.
Results: The median swab test result for all eight statuses was 361 RLU (range, 39-3494). Each status had an RLU of ≥500, a median of nine (5-17) times, and a high level of contamination was observed on the conveyor belt [1095 RLU (43-16973) ] in 17 of the 25 tests (68%). A correlation was observed between the RLU value and the passage of time for the conveyor belt (r=-0.39; p=0.05) but not for the other seven statuses (with median RLU of ≤500).
Conclusion: Contamination of the machines was maintained over time in the present 5-year survey of the hygienic status of the hospital food preparation in the Division of Nutrition kitchen of Shizuoka Cancer Center using ATP swab testing.
