| There are a wide range of applications for | | | | specification and reach to monitor and maintain |
| catering thermometers in hotels, bars and | | | | correct temperatures. |
| restaurants in which food hygiene and safety are | | | | What are the the basics in choosing catering |
| important. Choosing the proper thermometer for | | | | thermometers |
| use in catering environments is vital. When | | | | In order to check the temperature of the inside |
| selecting catering thermometers the | | | | of food it is best to use probe catering |
| characteristics of significance are, the | | | | thermometers. These can be prodded into the |
| measurement range, the equipment accuracy, the | | | | food to check the temperature at any internal |
| resolution of the temperature marking and the | | | | place that can be reached by the probe. Probe |
| response time. | | | | types come in a number of types including hand |
| Why fridge and freezer temperatures are | | | | held, pocket sized and dishwasher safe so it |
| important. | | | | should be easy to pick the right one for your |
| It is important to keep fridge and freezer | | | | needs. |
| temperatures at the absolutely right level in order | | | | Specialist fridge and freezer devices can be found |
| to have good food safety during storage. A | | | | to sit or hang inside the units with control |
| temperature of 4 degrees centigrade is | | | | features like alarms and power warning systems. |
| appropriate for keeping food in refrigerators for | | | | These thermometers are generally waterproof |
| short periods. For more prolonged periods it is | | | | and made with a choice of different dial or digital |
| best to drop the temperature to 2 centigrade. | | | | readouts and accuracy specifications to meet the |
| The optimal temperature for food in a freezer is | | | | defined need. |
| between -18 and -22 degrees centigrade as | | | | Oven and microwave catering thermometers are |
| bacteria will not develop at these temperatures. | | | | at the other end of the temperature spectrum. |
| The specified temperature range is small which | | | | These units often have an integrated countdown |
| demonstrates the importance of using a good | | | | timer which is a most useful extra for the kitchen |
| catering thermometers. | | | | and in addition are built to with stand high heat. |
| Food temperatures that are right for food | | | | Operation of catering thermometers. |
| hygiene | | | | A final thought is ergonomics and ease or |
| It is most important to kill bacteria to avoid food | | | | operation. If you have a device with 99.9 percent |
| poisoning. Most bacteria will not survive above 75 | | | | accuracy then it is still lousy if you cannot read |
| degrees centigrade and virtually none in excess of | | | | the dial quickly. Accordingly then you should select |
| one hundred. This means that the danger zone is | | | | devices which have clear colour coded visual dials |
| between 5 and 70°C where bacteria will grow | | | | or easily read digital displays in order to be sure |
| rapidly and multiply. For this reason care should be | | | | that reading faults are kept to a minimum. |
| taken when microwaving and reheating food to | | | | Catering Thermometers that have clear clean |
| ensure that there are no cold spots. | | | | displays with a good use of colour and have the |
| As a consequence it is vital that catering | | | | mounting fixtures to place in good positions are |
| thermometers are used of the correct | | | | generally a sound choice. |