Novel time and temperature integrator (TTI) assays, kits containing the components of the assays, and the novel components for those assays are provided herein. These novel TTI assays evaluate and/or determine the inactivation of biological material in/on a sample by quantifying the degradation of DNA using qPCR. The sample can be a food product (e.g., fruits, vegetables, meat from animals, or eggs) while the item can be any object (e.g., medical equipment, especially reusable medical equipment) for which one needs to determine that the amount of inactivation of specific hazardous biological material on the object or in a sample is at or below a pre-determined amount.