Chemical contamination of animal feeding systems: evaluation of two caging systems and standard cage-washing equipment.

Sodium fluorescein was added as a tracer to an ager gel diet which was fed for 5 day to 90 of 180 rats housed in two different polycarbonate caging systems, shoe-box cages and suspension solid-bottom cages. Cage racks, supplementary equipment, and case washer surfaces were analysed for fluorescein both before and after a complete wash and rinse cycle. Efficacy of washing was greater than 99% for both the inside and outside of the suspended cages and greater than 99% for the inside, but only 93% for the outside, of the shoe-box cages. The shoe-box cages, which were larger than the suspended cages, were spaced closer together on the washer rack, which may account for this variation in cleaning effectiveness. The cage washer surfaces and the water, which was recirculated during each cycle, also became contaminated with fluorescein. Strict adherence to proper cage-washing procedures and careful selection of cage design are important factors in controlling the potential for residual contamination of caging and cage-washing equipment.