ABSTRACT
It is extremely important that cleaning procedures be validated to assure that they are effective at removing food soil, including allergens. Validation is the process of proving sanitation efficacy, through a scientific method, that a process works as it is intended. Once a cleaning and sanitizing process has been validated, the company will then move to regular verification. Verification is the process of assuring that the validated procedures are implemented as identified and continue to be effective. Organoleptic verification involves all of the senses with the exceptions of taste and hearing. Bioluminescence is a technology that has been used successfully by food companies for several years now. Even with the use of an ATP luminometer for daily sanitation verification, there is a very real value to microbiological monitoring of equipment for additional verification as well as validation. Microbiological evaluation of equipment is an effective means of validating the efficacy of the sanitation process but may require more time than verification.
