What type of equipment is essential for monitoring sanitizer concentration?

The necessary equipment for monitoring sanitizer concentration is test strips. These strips are specifically designed to indicate the levels of chemical sanitizers, such as chlorine or quaternary ammonium compounds, in a solution. By providing a simple colorimetric readout, test strips ensure that sanitizers are present at the proper concentration to effectively eliminate pathogens, thereby safeguarding food safety and hygiene.

Other equipment like humidity meters, pH meters, and thermometers, while useful for monitoring other conditions within a facility, do not measure sanitizer concentration. Humidity meters assess moisture levels in the air, pH meters are used to determine the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, and thermometers are vital for measuring temperature. These instruments serve different purposes and do not provide the specific information needed to ensure that sanitizers are at their effective concentration.