It is of utmost importance in the food service industry to have an accurate food thermometer. Certain bacteria can make people sick within minutes of ingestion; especially dangerous is the bacteria found in most poultry products. The industry standard temperature for cooking poultry range from 170-180 degrees F.
How do you know your thermometer is accurate? The answer to this is to check it in ice water. We know (or should know) that water freezes at 32 F; therefore, a glass of ice water will be very close to 32 F. By setting the thermometer in the ice water for a few minutes, you can find out if the thermometer is accurate if it correctly reads plus or minus 1 degree short of 32 F.
If the thermometer is not accurate you can calibrate it in two simple steps:
1.) At the back portion of the dial, there should be a hex or square shaped nut.
2.) While your thermometer is still in the ice water, use a small wrench to hold the nut secure and twist the dial portion until the indicator is directly on 32 F.
This blogger wonders how many food establishments require a weekly calibration test. Hmm... food for thought.
1 comment:
Most people do not know how to tell the difference between and oral and a rectal thermometer.
The taste.
Post a Comment