Food Safety Archives

Comark Instruments helps keep your kitchen Salmonella-free

Salmonella leads to approximately one million illnesses in the United States annually, according to the CDC. While the average person recovers within four to seven days, approximately 2,500 are hospitalized each year in the UK, according to Food.gov.uk. In the U.S., 19,000 are hospitalized in and nearly 400 people die annually from the infection. Elderly, children under five and people with compromised immune systems are more likely to have a more severe infection. Salmonella is a bacterium that causes salmonellosis, which is characterized by a number of symptoms, including diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps and vomiting. Most infections can be resolved with fluids and rest, but antibiotics may be necessary if the infection spread to the blood stream, according to FoodSafety.gov Infections are typically the result of contaminated food, including eggs, poultry, meat, unpasteurized milk or juice, cheese, raw fruits and vegetables, … Read more

Comark Instruments Keeps Your Holiday Salmonella-Free

Year after year, salmonella leads to approximately one million illnesses in the United States, according to the CDC. While the average person recovers within four to seven days, approximately 2,500 are hospitalized each year in the UK, according to Food.gov.uk. In the U.S., 19,000 are hospitalized in and nearly 400 people die annually from the infection. Elderly, children under five and people with compromised immune systems are more likely to have a more severe infection. While salmonella infections have decreased by 10 percent, according to the CDC, taking the proper precautions is still imperative to keeping you and your family safe throughout the holiday season. In a time where the kitchen is busier than ever, and we are busting at the seams (literally) with turkey, roast beef and countless delicious sides, maintaining proper food safety standards should remain top of … Read more

Optimizing Operational Efficiencies through Wireless Environment Monitoring

For potential customers investigating the complexities of temperature monitoring solutions – what you don’t know can hurt you. As Comark’s National Sales Manager, I spend much of my time analyzing clients’ needs and expectations, helping to create compliance-focused solutions that allow for increased operational efficiencies and expanded revenue opportunities. One of the most common issues I see in evaluating kitchen coolers and freezers is in the area of defrost cycles. Defrost cycles typically rely on a mechanical timer, which is monitored and adjusted manually by an HVAC specialist. These adjustments are made to optimize efficiencies, but necessary changes may fluctuate as compressors and equipment age, or even as refrigerants leak or are replaced. Incorrect cycles characteristically raise the temperature of the cooler or freezer interior too high, only to require more work from the compressor to chill it back down. … Read more

Six Steps to a Safe and Delicious Thanksgiving Turkey

For Americans, Thanksgiving is just a few Thursdays away – a holiday where roughly 88 percent of Americans consume turkey, according to CNN. With 1.7 percent of turkey testing positive for salmonella in 2014, according to the USDA, it’s important to make sure your holiday meal is prepared safely. Below are six steps to a delicious and safe Thanksgiving turkey. 1. Check to be sure your meat has been kept at the correct temperature throughout the storage process. A data logger from Comark is an easy and cost effective tool to log transport data across any distance. 2. If your turkey has been frozen, use the Pocketherm from Comark to keep track of its status as you defrost. Safely defrost in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave, but never leave meat out on the counter to thaw, … Read more

E. Coli Outbreak in Scotland, Stronger Food Safety Strategies Can Reduce Food-Borne Illnesses

Proper handling, storage and cooking of venison offers the best protection against food-borne illness, after a recent investigation by Health Protection Scotland found raw venison products have been linked to an E. coli outbreak. E. coli (Escherichia coli) O157 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), when venison is thoroughly cooked to an internal temperature of no less than 160 degrees, any harmful bacteria are destroyed and the venison is safe to consume. It is critical for food suppliers to ensure their food-temperature safety strategies are optimized to help drive down E. coli and other food-borne illnesses that can fester and grow when food is processed, transported, stored and prepared in improper conditions. Fortunately, temperature-monitoring technologies are smarter than ever before. … Read more

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

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

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