Kersia UK has launched BioDtex, an advanced detection lamp designed to help hygiene teams quickly identify contamination risks that may be missed during routine inspections.

The BioDtex lamp reveals traces of organic matter, chemical residue, scale and other surface contamination across food production environments, including hard-to-assess areas such as seals, welds and uneven surfaces.

Unlike traditional investigative methods that can require multiple surface swabs and lengthy waiting times for results, BioDtex enables teams to scan equipment and production environments rapidly, with potential hygiene issues identified within seconds. The system can also be used during production and in normal lighting conditions, helping manufacturers integrate checks more easily into day-to-day operations without disrupting workflows.

Paula Capaldi, key account manager and microbiologist at Kersia UK, said: “You could spend a lot of time swabbing multiple surfaces on a machine to come to a conclusion you could grasp within a few seconds of using the torch. What looks clean can actually have small entrapment points that you can only see when you use it.”

The launch comes as the UK food and drink manufacturing sector continues to expand, with more than 480,000 people employed across the industry. As manufacturers face growing demands around compliance, productivity and workforce development, tools that support faster training and more effective hygiene management are becoming increasingly important.

Capaldi continued: “The torch can also be used as a training tool, helping hygiene teams better understand what ‘clean’ looks like in practice. If something shows up, it means the surface isn’t clean, so it helps teams focus their investigation and take action where it’s needed.”

In addition to contamination detection, BioDtex can also be used as a practical training tool for hygiene teams, helping operatives better understand what effective cleaning looks like in real production settings.