Choose an accurate food thermometer
Australian food businesses handling potentially hazardous food need an accessible thermometer accurate to within 1°C. A suitable probe measures inside the food; an infrared reading measures its surface.
What HACCP means
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points is a way to identify and control food-safety hazards. A marketing label saying “HACCP-approved” does not, by itself, establish that a thermometer meets your legal or operational requirements.
Check before purchase and use
- Find the manufacturer’s stated accuracy, measurement range and suitable food applications.
- Choose a probe that reaches the part of the food you need to measure.
- Follow the calibration/checking instructions, and repair or replace unreliable equipment.
- Clean and sanitise the probe between uses so measuring food does not transfer contamination.
For temperature control, distinguish the food’s internal reading from the cabinet display. The familiar danger zone is between 5°C and 60°C; any alternative control must be supported by the business’s food-safety process.
