Is it important to monitor the temperature of your refrigerated equipment?

If your business is in the food service industry, it is critical that all food is stored, prepared and served at the correct temperature for safe consumption. It is there for critical that the temperature of all refrigerated equipment is monitored and recorded on a regular basis.

In addition to providing safe food storage, there are other benefits which your business can experience from taking a few minutes each day to record temperature information. Some of these benefits include:

1. Minimising food spoilage and there for wastage.
2. Creates awareness and good food storage practice for employees.
3. Faster detection of refrigeration issues; there for problems can be rectified without disruption to daily operation.
4. Provide thorough records, that can be used as evidence that all equipment is running correctly in a case of a complaint or audit from the Health Department.

Our team recommended that all refrigerated equipment is observed and the temperatures recorded at least three times a day. Begin with an inspection of the equipment first thing in the morning and record the temperature before the unit’s door have been repeatedly opened and closed. The equipment can then be assessed at set intervals throughout the day to ensure the correct temperatures are being maintained. Be careful not to monitor temperature when your equipment is running through a defrost cycle, as this will give inaccurate temperature readings.
There is no wrong or right way of displaying records as long as it includes, the details of the unit, the date, the time the temperature was taken, and of course the temperature. The image below is an example of a temperature log sheet

The ideal temperature for all commercial refrigeration equipment should be between 0 - 5 degrees. Freezers should be achieving at least -18 degrees or below.

If you discover that your equipment is not operating to its full potential or maintaining the correct temperatures, our service team will be happy to provide any corrective action that is required. Simply call 1300 112 187 to report your fault!