Food SafetyNovember 29, 2021by Gillian Van Someren-Hurley0Thermometer Calibration

All businesses that handle potentially hazardous food are required to have a readily accessible accurate, probe type thermometer on site.

Ensure the thermometer probe is cleaned and sanitised before use. Clean with warm running water and detergent, sanitise using sanitise swabs or sanitiser.

Thermometer calibration is the act of verifying whether your thermometers are reporting the correct temperature and they should be accurate to +/- 1 degree C. When calibrating a thermometer it is important to use both the ice point and boiling point methods to ensure the thermometer is accurate in its upper and lower ranges.

To calibrate using ice point calibration, follow these steps:

1. Fill a plastic container with crushed ice
2. Mix enough chilled water to produce a slurry
3. Insert the probe into the ice slurry and allow the gauge to stabilise
4. The reading should be 0.0 degree C. If its more than 1.0 degree out then replace the batteries or the probe

To calibrate using the boiling point calibration, follow these steps:

1. Heat a saucepan of water on the stove
2. When it has reached a continuous rolling boil
3. Insert the probe and allow the gauge to stabilise
4. The reading should be 100.0 degree C. If its more than 1.0 degree out then replace the batteries or the probe