Summary
Why They Matter, How to Use Them & How Inspectors Enforce Them
If your commercial dishwasher uses chemical sanitizing (low-temp) or your three-compartment sink uses chemical sanitizer, test strips are legally required in most jurisdictions. Inspectors treat test strips as proof that sanitizing is actually happening.
What Test Strips Do
Test strips verify that:
- The correct sanitizer is being used
- The sanitizer is present at the correct concentration (ppm)
- The sanitizer is strong enough to kill pathogens but not so strong it becomes toxic
They are required for:
- Low-temp dish machines
- Three-compartment sinks (sanitize step)
- Any manual chemical warewashing station
Required Sanitizer Levels (By Type)
Your test strips must match the sanitizer you use:
Using the wrong test strip for your sanitizer = violation
Being outside the range = violation
Where Test Strips Must Be Kept
Inspectors expect test strips to be:
- Stored at the dish station
- Readily accessible to staff
- In original labeled container
- Within expiration date
- Dry and uncontaminated
Test strips stored in an office, drawer, or manager desk do not count.
When Staff Must Use Test Strips
Test strips should be used:
- At start of every shift
- After chemical container changes
- When inspectors arrive
- When wash results look poor
- After any equipment service
- When switching between manual and machine sanitizing
Best practice: Log results on a daily dishroom verification sheet.
How to Properly Use a Test Strip
- Dip strip into sanitizer solution for the time listed on the container (usually 1–10 seconds)
- Shake off excess liquid (do NOT wipe)
- Wait the required reaction time
- Compare color to container chart
- Confirm ppm is within approved range
- Record result on the sanitation log
Do NOT:
- Reuse strips
- Touch test pad
- Use expired strips
- Guess color without matching chart
What Inspectors Commonly Ask About Test Strips
Be ready to answer:
- “What sanitizer do you use?”
- “What is the required ppm range?”
- “Where are your test strips?”
- “When did you last test it?”
- “Who verifies the concentration?”
If staff cannot answer these, it is often cited as a management control violation—even if the ppm is technically correct.
Common Test Strip Inspection Failures
- No test strips onsite
- Expired test strips
- Wrong strip type for sanitizer
- Staff doesn’t know required ppm range
- No documentation of testing
- Chemical pump delivering inconsistent ppm
- Strips stored in damp areas
How Test Strips Protect You
Proper strip use:
- Prevents food-contact contamination
- Confirms real sanitizing is happening
- Protects against chemical toxicity
- Prevents surprise inspection failures
- Supports warranty claims related to chemical dosing
- Provides documented management control
Aldevra Test Strip Best Practice
If you can’t measure it, you can’t prove it—and inspectors enforce proof, not promises.
Aldevra helps facilities:
- Match test strips to sanitizer type
- Train staff on proper usage
- Implement daily chemical verification logs
- Integrate test strip checks into inspections
- Diagnose chemical pump failures using strip data
Quick Staff Reminder (Perfect for a Dishroom Wall Sign)
- Know your sanitizer type
- Know your required ppm
- Know where your test strips are
- Test every shift
- Log the result
- Never guess
