Overview
Hygiena SuperSnap is a high-sensitivity surface ATP test swab, read in a Hygiena luminometer. It is four times more sensitive than UltraSnap, which makes it the test to use where you need to demonstrate that a surface is not just clean but very clean.
Supplied as a 100-pack. Compatible with all Hygiena luminometers.
What ATP testing actually tells you
ATP — adenosine triphosphate — is the energy molecule present in all living cells and in residues derived from them. An ATP test does not identify organisms and it is not a microbiological count. What it measures is organic residue: food soil, body fluids, biofilm and the living cells within them.
That is exactly the right question for verifying cleaning. A surface that has been cleaned properly has had the residue removed; a surface that looks clean and still returns a high reading has not. The result arrives in seconds, while the cleaner is still on site and can do something about it.
What it is not: a test for pathogens, a substitute for microbiological sampling, or a measure of disinfection. A sanitiser can kill organisms and leave their ATP behind. Use ATP to verify that cleaning removed the soil — which is the step disinfection depends on.
When to use SuperSnap instead of UltraSnap
Higher sensitivity is not automatically better. It is better when the thing you are trying to detect sits below what a standard swab will resolve:
- Allergen changeover. Verifying that a line or bench has been cleaned down between products where cross-contamination matters. SuperSnap can detect the very low residue levels a changeover procedure is meant to achieve.
- Stringent standard operating procedures where a pass has to mean something demanding.
- Surfaces that routinely read very low on UltraSnap, where you have lost the resolution to tell a good clean from an excellent one.
For routine daily cleaning verification, UltraSnap is the sensible test and the more economical one. Reserve SuperSnap for the work that needs it.
Important — a note on allergens
SuperSnap detects ATP, and therefore general organic residue including protein. It does not identify specific allergens. It can support an allergen control programme by demonstrating that cleaning has removed residue to a very low level; it cannot tell you that a particular allergen is absent.
If you need to detect a specific protein, that is a different class of test. Talk to us about what your procedure actually has to demonstrate.
How the device works
- Pre-moistened swab — lifts residue and biofilm more effectively than a dry swab and makes collection consistent between operators.
- Snap-Valve activation — snapping the valve releases the reagent onto the sample without the swab having to push through a foil seal.
- Liquid-stable reagent — no freeze-dried pellet to reconstitute, which is what makes results reproducible device to device.
- All-in-one — swab, reagent and reaction tube in one pen-sized unit.
Using it well
Swab a defined area, the same way every time. Sensitivity is wasted if the sampling is not consistent. Fix the area and fix the technique.
Set your own limits. Because SuperSnap is more sensitive, its readings are not comparable with UltraSnap readings on the same surface. If you switch swab type, you need a new baseline — do not carry your UltraSnap pass limits across.
Read promptly after activation and keep the routine the same.
Sample before sanitising. Wet sanitiser on a surface can suppress the reading.
Hygiena's Test Procedure
- Remove the swab and swab a 10 × 10 cm (4 × 4 in) area on a flat surface, in a criss-cross pattern: vertical, horizontal and diagonal. Do not touch the swab bud or the inside of the tube.
- Return the swab to the tube.
- Break the Snap-Valve by bending the bulb forward and backward, then squeeze the bulb twice to release the liquid down the shaft.
- Shake for 5–10 seconds to bathe the swab bud.
- Read in the luminometer within 30 seconds of activation. The result appears after 15 seconds.
Do not test visibly dirty surfaces. Hygiena note that heavy soil overloads the reaction and gives a misleading result — clean first, then verify. Each device is single use.
Procedure summarised from Hygiena's SuperSnap instructions (INS0081). Follow the instruction sheet in the box if it differs.
Compatible meters
- Hygiena EnSURE Touch ATP Meter
- Hygiena SystemSURE Plus (meter only)
- Hygiena SystemSURE Plus Starter Kit
Storage and shelf life
ATP and enzyme test devices are reagent products with a real shelf life, and that shelf life depends on how they are stored. Refrigerated storage is what preserves it.
Hygiena's instructions: store at 2–8 °C. Devices tolerate up to 4 weeks at room temperature below 25 °C. Keep them out of direct sunlight. Shelf life is 15 months — check the expiry date on each pack.
Hygiena storage and shelf life guide for environmental and microbiology testing devices (PDF)
Shipping: the price of this item includes thermal packaging and an ice pack, so the devices arrive in condition. Put them into refrigerated storage when they land rather than leaving the carton on a bench.
Specifications
| Brand | Hygiena |
| Hygiena code | SUS3000 |
| CCW SKU | HGSUS3000 |
| Pack | 100 tests |
| Sensitivity | Approximately 4 times UltraSnap (Hygiena); detects product residues of about 1–1,000 ppm depending on the material |
| Sample area | 10 × 10 cm (4 × 4 in) |
| Read within | 30 seconds of activation; result after 15 seconds |
| Storage | 2–8 °C; up to 4 weeks below 25 °C |
| Shelf life | 15 months (check pack expiry) |
| Compatible meters | Hygiena luminometers, including EnSURE Touch and SystemSURE Plus |
Frequently asked questions
How many tests in a pack?
100.
Can I compare SuperSnap readings with UltraSnap readings?
No. Different sensitivity means different numbers on the same surface. Set a separate baseline.
Does it detect allergens?
No. It detects ATP, which supports an allergen cleaning programme but does not identify a specific allergen.
Which meter do I need?
Any Hygiena luminometer — the EnSURE Touch or the SystemSURE Plus.
Should I use SuperSnap for everything?
No. For routine verification UltraSnap is the right test and the cheaper one. Use SuperSnap where the standard genuinely demands it.
Can I swab a visibly dirty surface?
No. Heavy soil overloads the reaction. Clean the surface first, then use SuperSnap to verify the clean.
Can I leave the pack out of the fridge?
For short periods. Hygiena allow up to 4 weeks below 25 °C. Longer, or hotter, and the results can no longer be trusted.
Not sure whether your programme needs standard or high-sensitivity swabs? Tell us what you have to demonstrate and to whom, and we will give you a straight answer.
