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Comark Experts: Q&A with Product Marketing Director Michael Hall

Food safety technology is taking a more prominent role in kitchens and food processing facilities now. Handheld temperature monitoring devices and wireless data logging solutions are perfectly positioned to help food service providers take quality products to market, with customer safety as their primary ingredient. In this interview, we talk with Michael Hall, Director of Product Marketing at Comark Instruments, about the state of the temperature-monitoring industry, and the role Comark’s products are playing. Q. What type of temperature monitoring functionality is most “in-demand” now – particularly among restaurants? A. It is an exciting time to be a part of the temperature monitoring industry. Let’s say we have a restaurant following a food safety process and HACCP Regulations. It may have three freezers, two fridges, and a walk-in cooler – all of which need to be monitored throughout the day. That means someone … Read more

Comark Instruments Introduces M9 Software Upgrade for RF500 Monitoring Solution

With delivering best-in-class Temperature Monitoring solutions and a desire for continuous improvement as primary focuses, Comark Instruments has announced the release of a new software upgrade for the well-established RF500 Monitoring System. “Providing innovative temperature monitoring solutions that meet and exceed our customers’ expectations is at the heart of what we do,” says Comark Director of Product Marketing Mick Hall. “By upgrading the already user-friendly RF500 software to the M9 interface, we are delivering on our commitment to continue providing advanced, compliant-focused solutions. The M9 software interface will enhance user experience, and provide customers with new levels of monitoring capabilities.” Developed with valuable insight from customers, the M9 software upgrade will bolster the Comark RF500’s software application with new features and technical enhancements that complement its existing industry leading 24/7 monitoring of temperature, humidity and door event data through energy-efficient … Read more

Pocketherm to Ensure Safety of Rare Meat

Attention rare burger lovers everywhere – the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has proposed new guidelines for preparing and serving rare burgers in food outlets. Because of the possibility for bugs in ground beef, past guidelines for businesses have recommended serving burgers well-done, with no pink in the center. However, the growing popularity and demand for rare meat have spurred the FSA to reconsider. The proposed new guidelines outline specific procedures to ensure safety throughout the supply chain, including strict temperature monitoring. Temperature monitoring is one of the most critical components of confirming that meat has been cooked to an adequate temperature for safe consumption. The P125 Pocket Thermometer, commonly called the Pocketherm, from Comark makes this easy. Chefs around the globe turn to the Pocketherm for quick and accurate temperature checks while preparing burgers, and it’s easy to see why. … Read more

Spotted: Folding Thermometers on ‘The Great British Bake Off’™

Baking enthusiasts took note of most essential kitchen accessories that were on full display in Wednesday’s opening episode of BBC One’s “The Great British Bake Off” – including a folding thermometer. An estimated 9.3 million viewers tuned in for the season premiere to witness the first successes (and failures) of the competition, which pits 12 amateur bakers against one another to be named “Best Amateur Baker.” And if viewers are tuned in to the drama and decadent cakes, then producers are tuned into the latest in kitchen gadgets – like folding thermometers. Comark’s P125 Pocket Thermometer, or “Pocketherm,” is among the most popular food thermometer instruments for chefs. The functionality of a folding thermometer, like the Pocketherm, which uses color coded LEDs to indicate whether a product is frozen, chilled or cooked, was featured as the tool of choice among … Read more

The Future of Food Temperature Monitoring

From smoke houses and salt storage, to the early days of refrigeration, food storage technologies – and food safety solutions – have constantly improved. So what comes next in the life of temperature monitoring? The answer is automation. In recent years, temperature monitoring has relied largely on people. As with any manual task, human error can affect data consistency, quality and accuracy of that work, and in the case of monitoring, result in inadequate or unsafe conditions. With wireless and paperless temperature monitoring solutions from Comark, however, automation drastically reduces the chances for human error to occur. In addition to more accurate records, an automated system allows for constant monitoring, expectations that are far too time-consuming and costly to expect of a manual monitor. And with continuous auditing, HAACP compliance reporting and observation, facilities are alerted to the slightest fluctuation … Read more

Food Safety Direct - Comark Award Winners

Food Safety Direct Receives Comark’s Best UK Distributor Award

We recently presented Food Safety Direct, based in Lancaster, Lancashire, with our Best UK Distributor award for outstanding performance in sales and service. They were a top performer for Comark Instruments’ range of temperature-monitoring products in 2014 and supported their sales initiatives with superior service for their customers. Partners like Food Safety Direct are crucial to Comark’s commitment to provide our customers with growing access to temperature-monitoring solutions that are accurate, efficient and keep organizations compliant with audits and regulating standards. “We’re very thankful to Food Safety Direct for their dedication to Comark. They did an outstanding job last year. We’re delighted to present this award to a company so very deserving of this recognition”. Photo: Jeff Watson (left) and Dave Watson (right) receive Comark’s Best UK Distributor award Partner Site

Amidst Campylobacter Surge, Smart Temperature Monitoring Can Play Big Role in Food Safety Strategies

Food safety experts across the globe are taking action in response to an astounding surge in Campylobacter – a bacterium that can infect food and, when consumed by humans, cause fever, nausea, vomiting and a slew of other symptoms. Recent analyses in the United Kingdom and United States are particularly grim. More than 70 percent of chickens tested in the UK between February 2014 and February 2015 were contaminated with Campylobacter, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA). In the United States, Campylobacter infections in humans have increased more than 13 percent. With the UK’s Campylobacter infection rates being compared to the salmonella outbreak of the 1980s, government officials have charged poultry suppliers to make immediate improvements. Enhancing food-temperature safety strategies can be a key component to driving down infections that can fester and grow when food is processed, transported, … Read more

The New Online Portal by Comark Instruments Centralises Compliance, Product and Record-Keeping Strategies

A new Online Portal makes it easier for organisations to ensure their operations remain fully compliant with key temperature and humidity monitoring regulations. Comark is the world’s leading expert in temperature monitoring for the food, healthcare and other sectors, globally supplying more than 1 million precision thermometers, data loggers and wireless monitoring instruments each year. Due to its scale and reach, Comark is well positioned to link the global market into a unified portal that streamlines important industry information and product resources. “All of our temperature and humidity monitoring products and solutions are designed for high accuracy and efficiency, both of which are crucial components for the food, healthcare, life sciences, laboratory and other sectors we serve,” says Comark Director Product Marketing Mick Hall. “Unifying product and other information into a user-friendly portal is an extension of our commitment to … Read more

Comark Instruments Awards Partners for Sales Achievements

Comark Instruments, the world’s leading expert in temperature monitoring for the food and healthcare sectors has recognised two of its partners for their outstanding performance in sales and service. Food Safety Direct, based in Lancaster, Lancashire, received Comark’s award for Best UK Distributor while Selin, based in Milan, Italy, earned the 2014 award for Best International Distributor. Both companies were top performers for Comark Instruments’ range of temperature-monitoring products in 2014 and supported their sales initiatives with superior service for their customers. “Our global network of distribution partners is crucial to providing our customers with growing access to temperature-monitoring solutions that are accurate, efficient and keep organizations compliant with audits and regulating standards,” says Comark Instruments General Manager Ian Wilcock. “We’re proud of all of our partners’ achievements and are very thankful to Food Safety Direct and Selin for their commitment to … Read more

Pocketherm 125 Spotted on BBC’s Kew on a Plate

The Comark Pocketherm 125 was recently spotted on the BBC’s new show, “Kew on a Plate.” In the show, Chef Raymond Blanc explores the centuries-old practice of kitchen gardens that yielded vegetables for British royalty. In the series, he spends a year in the botanical gardens at Kew cooking up a delectable series of dishes that boast a variety of fresh produce. In the second episode, Chef Raymond creates an elegant gooseberry cheesecake, topped with a green gooseberry jelly, and served with a red gooseberry compote. A delicate Italian meringue is a key ingredient to the dessert. To make the meringue, hot sugar syrup must be heated to 121 degrees. Chef Raymond utilises the Comark Pocketherm 125 to carefully check the temperature before moving on to the next step. Professional chefs turn to the Comark Pocketherm 125 for quick checks … Read more

Comark Instruments Launches New Cloud Service and Tamper-Proof Data Recorder to Enhance Food Temperature Safety

Comark Instruments is continuing its commitment to raise the standards in food safety with the launch of the new Comark Cloud online data storage system and HACCP Touch tamper-proof data recorder. “Comark has been a global leader in providing high-quality precision thermometers, data loggers and monitoring solutions for more than 50 years,” says Ian Wilcock, general manager of Comark Instruments. “The introduction of Comark Cloud wireless storage system and HACCP Touch paperless data logger expands upon that legacy – and delivers compliant-focused capabilities help automate and optimise many manual procedures while simultaneously improving product and consumer safety.” “Our new products bring new levels of safety and efficiency to any number of food-service operations,” says Michael Hall, product marketing director for Comark Instruments. “Cloud-based technology continues to bring about new levels of security and expanded capabilities to the industry, while customisable … Read more

Legionnaires’ Disease – Managing the Risks

Legionnaires’ disease has been in news headlines once again following a deadly outbreak in the south-west of Edinburgh. Although the source of the bug had not been identified, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) served an improvement notice on a company for alleged failures to adequately control the risk of legionella in a cooling tower. Given the right conditions, Legionella bacteria can grow in any workplace and the Health and Safety Commissions L8 Regulations detail the management required to reduce the risk. If you have responsibility for the management of water systems at your facility, Comark has products that will make that task easier. Comark’s N5001 Auditor is a hand held instrument for logging, monitoring and managing data. Specifically designed for use in HACCP, due diligence and health and safety systems, the instrument can be programmed for almost any task … Read more