Legionella Risks Global outbreaks of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) have resulted in the compulsory closure of a number of large buildings such as schools, universities, leisure facilities and office blocks at a scale previously not seen. Now, as these buildings start to re-open after the imposed lockdown, there is a genuine risk that they could have become a breeding ground for another infection – Legionnaires’ disease (Legionella). The long periods of inactivity in buildings, a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, has greatly increased the risk of the Legionella pneumophilia bacteria developing in large water tanks and pipework. The bacteria survives in the biofilm that gathers on pipe and tank surfaces and likes to feed on the sludge and sediment that builds up there. Legionnaires’ disease, or Legionella as it is more commonly known, is caused by inhaling water droplets, via hot tubs, showers and … Read more
We’re helping to celebrate UK Sausage Week by giving you the low-down on how to get the best out of your wurst – once you’ve decided on which one’s your favourite of course! COMMON MISTAKES I’m sure we’ve all had a dodgy BBQ sausage in our time… charred on the outside but soft and pink and going to make you ill on the inside. Even frying can result in the centre not being cooked through properly. So here’s our quick guide to getting the BEST out of your WURST. 1. Avoid a high heat The higher you have the heat, the less the fat will render, the faster the sausage skin will burn and the less likely you will have a perfectly cooked centre. This is why the BBQ sausages all too often fail; if the coals are too hot, then … Read more
From May 19-21 you will find Comark at NRA 2019, celebrating not only a new range of Bluetooth thermometers and feature-rich food thermometers but also celebrating the National Restaurant Association’s centennial year! If you visit Comark at NRA 2019, at booth 3746, you will be able to see the latest range of hand-held Bluetooth food thermometers, which transmit their temperature data to our Comark Kitchen Checks App, installed on your mobile device or tablet. If you are looking for new ways in which to automate data collection and to avoid human error in the process, then you definitely need to swing by! For most professionals attending NRA 2019, a food thermometer needs to be used in a specific and controlled manner and the temperature data collected at source. This makes a secure data transmission protocol such as Bluetooth … Read more
Comark Instruments, a leading international manufacturer of high quality, precision thermometers, data loggers and wireless temperature monitoring solutions, announced today the appointment of Yizhou Chen to the position of General Manager. “Food safety is one of the top concerns of mine and many others,” says Yizhou. “Comark is a remarkable company in the food industry, with a track record of providing trusted and innovative temperature solutions to keep customers and consumers around the world Safe. I am very proud to join the team to continue serving our customers in the best way possible.” Yizhou most recently came from Fluke IG as the BU Manager DMM/ EPROD based in Everett, WA, where she achieved double digit revenue growth for consecutive two years and built a strong innovation funnel for future roadmap. Before this Yizhou had, at Fluke, been the BU Manager … Read more
When it comes to properly a fridge to stock fresh produce, most people know that low temperatures help to keep food fresh for longer, but this guide to refrigerators and humidity drawers explains how humidity also plays a vital role in extending the life of some of your fresh fruits and vegetables. In your you may find that you have a humidity drawer that regulates the amount of humidity your produce receives. Humidity drawers keep your fruit and vegetables in particular, fresher for longer, preventing wastage, saving you money and the effort required to replace any affected produce, but it is important to know how best to use them, in order to product quality for as long as possible. What are humidity drawers? Designated fruit and vegetable drawers are designed to maintain a higher humidity than the rest of … Read more
A tempting ‘cook’s perk’ for some, but raw cookie dough hasn’t had the kind of treatment that’s designed to kill germs, so may cause illnesses in people who eat it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued a warning about the dangers of eating raw cookie dough, urging us to “Say no to raw dough!“. “When you prepare homemade cookie dough, cake mixes, or even bread, you may be tempted to taste a bite before it is fully cooked,” the CDC said. “But steer clear of this temptation — eating or tasting unbaked products that are intended to be cooked, such as dough or batter, can make you sick.” It would be easy to just associate the health risks with the inclusion of the raw egg that’s in the raw cookie dough, as this is a well … Read more
New Bluetooth Thermometer launch at NAFEM 2019. Comark Instruments is launching its latest Bluetooth™ product innovation at The NAFEM 2019 Show, February 7-9, 2019 in Orlando, Florida, the BT4x Bluetooth Thermocouple Food Thermometer. Visit Booth 854 to see how the Comark range can automate the temperature data collection required for today’s Wireless HACCP and Food Safety plans. The new Comark BT4x Bluetooth Food Thermometer is designed for all food service operations to quickly, safely and effectively monitor critical temperatures for deliveries, storage, cooking, cooling and hot holding, through to final serving. The Comark BT4x Bluetooth Food Thermometer has all the features of the best-selling C2x Thermometer but now incorporates recording via Bluetooth to eliminate the need for paper record keeping. Following the earlier launch of the BT25x Bluetooth Pocketherm™ Fold-Out Thermometer last year, it became clear that customers welcomed the … Read more
We talk to Smith & Wollensky’s Executive Head Chef, Tom Cook about temperature measurement, travel and the perfect steak. In June 2015 Smith & Wollensky opened their first restaurant outside of the US – located in the landmark Adelphi Building in London. Their steaks are USDA Prime, dry-aged and butchered on-site, making them the only steakhouse in London which offers a cut of meat that combines all three. Tom Cook has been a chef for over 22 years, working alongside some greats such as Gary Rhodes, Michel Roux Jr, Eric Chavot, Daniel Clifford and Tom Aikens. Cook is now Executive Head Chef at Smith & Wollensky. We caught up with Tom to talk about how important the right cooking temperature is when producing the perfect steak every time … What’s your earliest food memory? I’d say cooking with my … Read more
What is a Thermocouple? A type of sensor that is used to measure temperature Two wires of different metals connected together A thermometer that uses a thermocouple sensor The Thermocouple itself is made by welding two dissimilar metal wires together, which form the point of measurement. The wires are then insulated from each other along their lengths and terminated with a connector for connection to a meter, or in our case a Hand-Held Thermometer. As the two metals in the Thermocouple are heated or cooled, they produce a very small, but measurable Voltage. Imagine this as a moving needle on an analogue meter: Movement to the left means the temperature is falling (colder) Movement to the right means the temperature is rising (hotter) The Thermometer measures this voltage, performs a calculation to correct for ambient temperature and then uses … Read more
Ho Ho Ho….It’s that time of year when everybody is getting into the festive and holiday Christmas spirit. Gathering with family & friends, exchanging gifts and enjoying the feast. Food poisoning isn’t on anyone’s Christmas list, so make sure you only give people what they want this year – i.e. not food-poisoning! We’ve done all the hard work for you and put together some canny little Festive Safety Tips for you to follow Keep things clean: Wash hands before and after handling any food. Wet or damp hands can spread bugs between food and surfaces! Wash all surfaces (cutting boards, dishes, utensils and countertops) before and after preparing each food item. Wash dishcloths and tea towels regularly, and let them dry before you use them again. Dirty, damp cloths are the perfect place for germs to spread. Don’t wash raw … Read more
The main event at Thanksgiving is serving a perfectly juicy and succulent roast turkey to the ones you love. The last thing you want to do is serve an overcooked (or even worse, undercooked) bird. Celebrate Thanksgiving with Comark’s Food Safety Tips! This year Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, Nov 23, (the fourth Thursday in November) – the day before Black Friday. Thanksgiving traditionally kicks off the ‘holiday season’ with many people in the United States celebrating Thanksgiving more than they do Christmas! Turkey Cooking Tips Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a large roasting pan, place thawed turkey, breast side up and tent with a piece of aluminum foil. Remove foil during last hour of cook time. If using a frozen bird, ensure it is fully defrosted before roasting. Juices will run clear when the turkey is done. Look at the juices … Read more
From 9 – 11 February, Comark will be at NAFEM 2017, the National Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers Trade Show, taking place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Visit us in Booth #855 to see our most recent innovations in temperature monitoring solutions across the food supply chain, including our new Bluetooth Pocketherm Folding Thermometer and Kitchen Checks Pro App. Designed for use in the kitchen and other food production areas, the Bluetooth Pocketherm thermometer transmits temperature data via Bluetooth to your Android or iOS phone or tablet. Use with the Comark Kitchen Checks App to manage all your HACCP temperature recording. It’s a simple way to automate data collection and eliminates the need for handwritten temperature records. Checklists within the app ensure procedures are followed correctly.
