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The Importance of Hazard Analysis for Retail Butchers

All food businesses must develop documented food safety management procedures based on HACCP. This is particularly important in premises that have higher risks such as butchers handling raw and cooked food. Butchers’ shops will require more in-depth record keeping than lower risk food businesses. It means that butchers must identify where risks to food safety could occur and how they will control those risks. By conducting a hazard analysis, the critical control points are identified then procedures based on the HACCP food safety management system are put in place to implement and maintain a food safety plan. When carrying out the hazard analysis assessment, the business owner must ensure that it will work in practice and that every step can be continually implemented. Keeping HACCP records up to date may help you establish a defence of due diligence should you … Read more

Festive Safety Tips from Comark Instruments

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

Sous Vide Cooking with Comark Instruments

The Sous Vide cooking method has recently taken the restaurant industry by storm – and is even becoming popular among home kitchens. So, what exactly is Sous Vide cooking? Sous Vide is a method of slow cooking in which food is cooked in vacuum sealed bags, submerged in a constant temperature-controlled water bath. This technique of cooking the food inside vacuum sealed bags ensures the food will stay juicy and tender. The temperature controlled method of this style of cooking is another unique feature providing a tasty outcome for chefs and diners, as the food cooks at the constant desired temperature all the way through. This temperature is achievable and monitored with the help of Comark’s Sous Vide Kit. This method of cooking has become so popular among restaurants, chefs and home kitchens because different temperatures of the water baths (by even just one … 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 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 Comark’s new Bluteooth Pocketherm. Q: How does the Bluetooth Pocketherm work to efficiently upload HACCP information? A: The Bluetooth Pocketherm is a game changer in the temperature-monitoring industry. With Bluetooth pairing capabilities, this thermometer pairs with the Comark Checks app on a smart device to log temperature data. The fast and easy technique transfers from thermometer to smart device in a matter of seconds. This speeds up the data logging process all while maintaining accuracy and running a HACCP plan. Q: What are … Read more

Comark Instruments Launches New Comark Kitchen Checks

(7 February, 2017) – Comark Instruments is continuing its commitment to raise the standards in food safety with the launch of the new Comark Kitchen Checks App and Bluetooth Pocketherm – a waterproof folding pocket thermometer with Bluetooth capabilities. “Comark has been a global leader in providing high-quality precision thermometers, data loggers and monitoring solutions for more than 50 years. The introduction of the New Comark Kitchen Checks, Comark Kitchen Checks App and Bluetooth Pocketherm strengthens our position as an industry leader by delivering compliant-focused capabilities that help automate many manual procedures while simultaneously improving food and consumer safety.” Lika Dutta, General Manager, Comark Instruments. “Our innovative products bring new levels of safety and efficiency to kitchens across the food-service industry. The Comark Kitchen Checks App connects to the Comark Cloud to ensure greater security and expanded recording capabilities. And … Read more

Comark Instruments Releases New Sous Vide Kit

Comark Instruments has further revolutionized food monitoring technology with the introduction of the new Sous Vide Kit, bringing the executive cooking technique to busy kitchens and amateur chefs alike. Sous Vide cooking retains much of a food’s original flavor, texture, color and nutrients by slowly cooking in sealed vacuum bags in a temperature controlled water bath. While it takes more time than other cooking methods, food is tender and cooked perfectly. “Sous Vide Cooking has become the go-to technique for many executive chefs in restaurants and kitchens all over the world because it allows for precise temperature control throughout the cooking process,” says Michael Hall, product-marketing director for Comark Instruments. “Comark’s Sous Vide Kit is the perfect tool to ensure food will retain much of its original texture and flavor.” The Sous Vide Kit includes a Thermocouple Food Thermometer, MicroTip Penetration … Read more

RF314Dual WiFi Dual Channel Data Logger with Thermocouples

Comark Instruments Launches New Line of WiFi Data Loggers

Comark Instruments launched a new line of Data Loggers with WiFi compatibility and a wide variety of new features, including dual channel systems and probe attachments, improving upon the already wide range of data monitoring solutions offered. “Comark’s new WiFi Data Loggers take the guesswork out of data monitoring and temperature measurement,” says Michael Hall, Product-Marketing Director for Comark Instruments. “Each model offers upgraded, tailored features suited to fit the needs of any food service professional.” “Diligence WiFi Data Loggers from Comark provide an easy way to organize temperature data,” says Lika Dutta, General Manager for Comark Instruments. “But most importantly, it provides critical visibility of food safety compliance for any organization in the food service industry.” Each model in the new line of Data Loggers released includes an LCD display featuring minimum and maximum readings and indicators for battery, … Read more

Is Your Fridge Cold Enough?

Certain foods require chilled storage conditions to maintain quality and prevent the growth of micro-organisms. Correct storage of food at the right temperature reduces the risk of food poisoning. Is your fridge cold enough at the correct temperature? Temperature control is important because harmful bacteria are a hazard present in many foods. Given the right conditions, food poisoning bugs such as listeria can multiply quickly. Did you know that at ideal temperatures some food poisoning bugs can multiply every 10 minutes? The Food Standards Agency states that growth models have shown listeria grows nearly twice as fast at 8°C as it does at 5°C, hence the recommended 5ºC, which helps keep us safe from listeria. As bacteria are invisible to the naked eye and cannot be physically removed from food, all we can do is control their numbers. Temperature can … Read more

National Vegetarian Week

It’s National Vegetarian Week and so we thought we would ask this question: “Can reheating rice cause food poisoning?” The simple answer is YES! However it is not the reheating that causes the problem but the way the rice has been stored before it was reheated. Many outbreaks of food poisoning which emerge from the catering industry are found to be caused by the inadequate cooking of food. In some foods the bacterium that is associated with food poisoning is not eliminated by the cooking process and therefore, if food is held at temperatures ranging from room to very warm temperatures (20⁰C to 63⁰C) for a few hours, the spores of the bacteria germinate and multiply to dangerous levels. The longer cooked rice is left at room temperature the more likely it is that bacteria or toxins could make the rice … Read more

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 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