MEDCOM Pam 40-13
98
control swab), but no more than 20 locations at least once per week. Record the results
and note high readings, above 50,000 RLUs; marginal readings, between 5,000 and
49,999 RLUs; and acceptable readings, below 5,000 RLUs. After a period of time, with
cooperation between cleaning and operating personnel, a determination can be made
with respect to the exact surfaces that should be swabbed regularly.
(2) Visual inspection techniques are also typically utilized in commercial
establishments. One additional advantage in commercial establishments is the
availability of vendor records that reflect surface sanitation contact plates or other types
of laboratory analysis. Furthermore, commercial food processing plants typically
perform laboratory analysis on the finished product. Military facilities, such as DeCA
commissaries, rarely analyze in-store prepared food through the use of a laboratory. It
is best to use the LUM-T in a commercial establishment after cleaning and sanitizing
has been performed, prior to the beginning of the production day. In starting out, it is
best to ask the vendor which points he or she may be swabbing or conducting
environmental tests on in conjunction with the routine in-plant sanitation program.
Vendors often use weekly contact plates, which generally take 24-72 hours to obtain
results. In a plant where processing takes place daily, if an area in processing yields
bad results with conventional laboratory methods, little can be done if the product was
processed and shipped on the day that the surface was not clean. The LUM-T can give
results in less than 30 seconds and plant managers can re-clean and sanitize surfaces
before processing begins. Perform and record results of rapid testing in commercial
establishments where the vendor routinely performs routine environmental testing, once
the vendor’s results are received, compare the rapid test results with the vendor’s
results for comparison.
(3) When starting to use the LUM-T during commercial audits, or military
sanitary inspections, start with a limit of 5,000 RLUs as a general rule. If the first
reading is higher than 5,000, observe how the employees re-clean / sanitize and then
take a second reading. Special notes shall be made on the substance(s) used to clean
and sanitize, and specific techniques used. If the surface is wiped dry with a cloth,
ensure that the surface is not being re-contaminated. Experienced LUM-T users will
eventually conclude that stainless steel surfaces, such as slicer blades, tables, and
knives, can be as low as zero. Plastic and porous surfaces may have higher readings.
A baseline of below 5,000 must be established prior to making sanitation deficiency
decisions and conclusions. It is recommended that new users of the LUM-T take a
reading, then re-clean and re-sanitize the surface properly themselves, and then take
the reading again. Several readings should be taken to set a baseline. The factory
setting for failure on the LUM-T is zero RLUs, so any number of RLUs will result in a
failure signal.
(4) Never use the LUM-T results as the sole basis for failing a military or
commercial establishment. The LUM-T PocketSwab gives a measurement of total ATP
on a surface and it is a very sensitive method for surface sanitation verification. This
should be kept in mind when comparing Charm readings with the results of conventional