Temperature testing technology that could also reduce waste

Under food hygiene regulations, the safety of a wide variety of foods is dependent on the maintenance of correct temperature conditions in compliance with the principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP). Generally, temperature is the main factor affecting the prevention of microbial food spoilage.

In addition to temperature and storage time, the speed and extent of spoilage is affected by the type of food product, its composition, methods used during processing, contamination during processing and the nature of packaging. Temperature testing therefore performs a vital role in the protection of consumers and in compliance with food hygiene regulations relating to sandwiches, snacks, ready meals, prepared foods, and both chilled and frozen foods.

Traditional methods involve the insertion of a metal probe into the food product in order to determine the temperature of the food; usually at the probe’s tip. In order to check the temperature of a food product, the probe is inserted so that the tip is in the centre of the food (or the thickest part) and left in place until the reading stabilises. After the reading is taken, the probe must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected to avoid cross-contamination between samples.

Crucially, if the food sample is affected by the testing process (for example, if the packaging seal has been broken) it is no longer suitable for consumption and must be discarded.

Non-destructive testing (NDT) technology

There are two main types of non-destructive testing methods — remote infrared cameras and microwave thermometry. Infrared cameras are able to accurately measure the surface temperature of objects remotely. Their advantages are that they are non-destructive and fast, but their main disadvantage is that they measure the surface temperature, which is not necessarily the true temperature of the food, especially if the sample is within packaging.

Instruments that employ microwave thermometry have the major advantage of testing the whole product, producing an average temperature for the entire sample, quickly and accurately. The Cerulean Celsius range of instruments employs this technique for food testing and new versions of this technology are also being developed to improve efficiency.

Waste from invasive temperature testing

The amount of waste resulting from invasive temperature testing depends on a number of factors. Firstly, the volume of food products being tested will vary according to the type of food and the individual process. Operators will need to be able to demonstrate that the frequency of testing is appropriate and that the samples being tested are representative of a batch. Consequently, the proportion of food going to waste following temperature testing varies considerably between different processing plants.

Once a tested food product is discarded it can be dealt with in a number of ways. It may go to landfill or incineration, or the food may be manually separated from its packaging and used as animal feed or in the generation of energy by anaerobic digestion. However, all options are detrimental from both financial and environmental perspectives, so some food producers are now using the NDT methods.

Case study: Labeyrie Fine Foods

Labeyrie Fine Foods produces a range of products for some of the largest supermarkets in the UK. The company began NDT food testing with a Celsius instrument in early 2017 and now tests a wide range of products, including raw, hot smoked and smoked salmon in a range of forms from fillets to sliced and flaked products. Technical & Quality Systems Auditor Stephen Bradbury said: “This technology enables us to ensure that all chilled products are between zero and four degrees centigrade, quickly analysing the temperature of any given product to ensure that the correct controls are in place.”

Staff at the company’s site at Duns in the Scottish Borders regularly conduct around 50 tests each day. During peak times this can increase to 70 tests per day. Before 2017, the temperature probe method was employed at the site, which meant that an extra packet had to be created for each destructive test. There were also occasions when additional checks were required, which led to further packs being tested and then wasted. Following delivery of the NDT machine, the tests for both methods were run in tandem for a month to check the performance of the Celsius, but thereafter all tests have been undertaken by the faster non-destructive method.

The instrument was purchased for both commercial and environmental reasons. Bradbury said: “It helps us guarantee that the entire product within the outer case is at the correct temperature before it is sent to the customer, and as a non-destructive method it enables us to test as many product cases as required.

“From an environmental perspective, the machine helps us to achieve fish and packaging waste reduction every day.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Yulia Furman