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Question: What is a Biofilm?
Answer:
A biofilm is formed when microorganisms find a receptive environment and are exposed to food and moisture. They work together as a population and secrete a sticky polymer to form a solid matrix attached to a surface. Once a biofilm is established it is very difficult to eliminate because the microbes are reinforced and protected by the matrix, making them very resistant to sanitizers. Biofilms can be held responsible for poor product quality and/or lost product due to contamination causing the loss of billions of dollars in both product and equipment damages. The threat of a biofilm can be eliminated by detection and removal of food residue with proper ATP hygiene monitoring first, thus removing the food source for possible biofilm-forming microbes. In addition, Ultrasnap ATP swabs have a unique detergent on the swab tip that cuts through a biofilm and exposes the underlying cells. If a biofilm has already developed, there will be more ATP on a surface and it can be detected by the SystemSURE II and eliminated with vigorous cleaning.
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