Temperature is a critical measurement for ensuring the safety and quality of food processing at many stages. Whether monitoring temperatures at receiving, throughout production or final product storage and distribution, thermometer verification is essential.
The validation, verification reassessment section of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system stated in the Code of Federal Regulations (9CFR 3:417.4) specifies that instruments used for monitoring critical control points must be calibrated. The food industry is aware of the critical nature of processing temperature requirements. Instrument calibration is not only a food safety issue, but also an economic consideration since accuracy of temperature monitoring devices also affects product quality and yield.
The goal of a HACCP program is not final product inspection to discover problems. Rather, it is the prevention of problems from entering the food chain in the first place. Monitoring temperature is important because of the “Food Temperature Danger Zone” that is specified to be between 41 °F and 140 °F. Food must be stored below this point or heated above this point. All known hazardous bacteria are killed above 165 °F and processes that prepare and sterilize food must be verified to ensure that this target is achieved. It is not sufficient to only test the surface of the food product but the interior temperature at all points must also reach 165 °F is to ensure safety. Processing is further complicated by the reality that food products do not always come in uniform sizes and shapes. As an example, various cuts of meat with vary based on the animal from which they came causing the processing system to produce a variable output. Simply turning up the heat will result in a reduction in product quality that will also have a cost associated with the corresponding lesser yield. The thermometers used to monitor this process should not exacerbate the problem by errantly reporting and create either false negative or false positive readings. An effective HACCP program incorporates thermometer maintenance and inspection as part of its regimen.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an agency within the U. S. Department of Commerce that maintains the national standard by which thermometers and other precision instruments are calibrated. The term for this is “traceability” meaning that a particular thermometer being used in food production can trace the correctness of its measurement through a series of intervening instruments all the way to the national standard.
In addition, the user of a thermometer must also have a quality system in place that ensures and documents a periodic check of the instrument. This period can vary from daily to several years depending on the criticality of the measurement and the consistency of the instruments in use. In food processing, a typical quality plan verifies the thermometer before the start of each shift and calibration equipment on an annual basis. Calibration is the process of standardizing a temperature monitoring instrument to ensure that it will measure within a specific temperature range in which the instrument is designed to operate.
TEGAM manufactures a complete line of handheld, digital thermometers in thermocouple, thermistor and RTD calibrations to match the probe that best fits the needs of environments where a wide range of temperature variables exist. We have invested many years listening and working closely with food processors to understand the unique measurement environments and challenges that face the food processing industry. At TEGAM we have thermometer and probe solutions for the food industry professional making us a leader in Food Safety Equipment used at all levels of manufacturing.
TEGAM’s 819A is a single input K, J, T handheld thermometer with 0.1% basic accuracy and selections for °F, °C and resolution. The 821A is a dual channel version of the 819A with a MIN/MAX record feature for each channel. With membrane keypads for ease of cleaning and an optional rubber boot, the 819A and 821A offer the best combination of easy to use, durability and accuracy. Both come with an unmatched two year calibration guarantee and conform to the temperature/voltage tables published by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
The rigors of the food processing environment can affect the accuracy of both instruments and probes. Therefore, good manufacturing practices indicate that process or product temperature monitoring equipment be verified daily before use. A traditional method of verifying a thermometer is the ice water bath. This involves mixing a solution of crushed ice and water that achieves exactly 32 °F. The thermometer probe is inserted into the bath and the display is verified. Unfortunately, this method is time consuming and requires some experience to get the proportions of water and ice exact while properly locating the probe in the slurry. Finally, this only verifies the measurement at one point.
To address the shortcomings of the ice water bath and to make verification more convenient, TEGAM has developed a line of handheld temperature simulators that can be used to verify and calibrate all the digital thermometers, digital displays, controllers and monitors used in your production and quality control programs.
The TEGAM’s 840A is designed to calibrate thermometers over a wide temperature range as well as measure temperature to verify thermocouple probes. This meter simulates and measures the standard J, K and T thermocouples in a compact portable size for use anywhere on the plant floor. The 840A delivers lab performance on the factory floor with 0.5 °F accuracy and traceability to NIST. For more demanding applications, TEGAM offers the model 855 that can simulate and measure 11 thermocouple types, plus RTD, and Ohms signals all in one unit. These calibrators increase productivity and easier to use than any other calibrator. With ten memory locations for calibrator set points, and a step function, you can easily calibrate thermometers for spot checking accuracy out on a process floor.
Easy to use “one-touch” keys select functions for both calibrator and thermometer, select sensor types, ºF or ºC, view memory locations, or hold a reading. The 5-digit LCD annunciates all active functions. Enter calibrator set points through the calculator style keypad or program them from an outside source. The step function allows one-touch output of programmed values. When turned off, the units retain your programs for quick repeat use. The thermometer mode provides accurate readings and ten memory locations let you record temperature measurements for later review.
TEGAM’s series of thermometers and calibrators are already helping some of the largest food processors in North America meet the demands of ISO 9000 and HACCP quality programs where precise calibration on the process floor is required. They are the right choice for your operation too!
The Food Processing Industry demands SAFETY FIRST!
TEGAM Brings Safety to the Table with thermometers that are reliable; possess a high degree of accuracy, produce consistent results, proven to withstand harsh environments while retaining their integrity. For further information and to learn more about TEGAM’s products and how they can fit into your HACCP plans please visit our website at www.tegam.com.
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