But in the critical area of food safety, IR technology only goes halfway. It may give you the surface temperature, but what about the temperature inside the food?
One answer is to employ two thermometers, but this doesn't work for those who are watching costs and want to minimize the number of tools being toted.
Since this is a situation that is more common than not, Raytek® has introduced the FoodProPlus® thermometer. Its official debut was made during a press conference at the North American Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) Expo. The launch place was significant, for a major focus of the NAFEM expo was food safety, especially when dealing with parasites and bacteria.
"The FoodProPlus combines the safety, accuracy, and convenience of a noncontact measurement device, with the precision of a contact probe that folds for convenient storage," officials said.
For surface temperatures, users can point to scan hot or cold foods for an instant reading that displays on a large, backlit LCD, the company said. To measure internal temperatures, users can extend and insert the probe for what the company called a "spot-on" digital readout.
To focus on the product and the food safety issue, the Raytek briefing included talks from company officials, a chef, and a consultant who often serves as a food safety inspector.
It was noted that the product incorporates federally regulated Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) for food temperature measurement.
According to Raytek product manager Will Menchine, "The unit instantly reveals HACCP ‘danger zones' which range between 40 degrees and 140 degrees F where time and temperature rules apply. The FoodProPlus is a simple-to-use diagnostic tool that should be part of every HACCP program."
For more information, visit www.raytek.com.
Publication date: 01/12/2004
