It's the responsibility of anyone working in the food industry to maintain food safety. One aspect of food safety is maintaining proper food temperature. Thermometers of all kinds can help you do this. Using a food testing thermometer is the only way you can be sure the food is safe.

Remember to store perishable food, like meats and cheese, in a refrigerator or a freezer. The cool temperatures will prevent bacteria from growing in the food. You can choose from many different types of refrigerator and freezer thermometers to ensure these appliances work correctly.

1. Use a digital food testing thermometer to test the temperature of food.

2. Purchase an infrared thermometer to test food temperatures quickly. These thermometers don't require the use of a probe.

3. Control the temperature of foods during storage in a refrigerator or freezer. Find a food service thermometer for this purpose from a restaurant supply retailer.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use a digital food thermometer with a probe to test the internal temperature of foods

In the food service industry, it's vital that you test all foods for proper temperature. One of the ways you can do this is with a digital food thermometer with an attached probe.

I recommend: DeltaTRAK offers a digital probe food thermometer that boasts a probe with a small diameter that allows testing of thin foods. Browse selections offered by PTC Instruments and Omega Engineering for other digital probe food thermometers.

Use a non-contact infrared thermometer for food that you would prefer not to pierce

Remember that you can also use an infrared thermometer, or non-contact thermometer, for food. This thermometer doesn't actually have to touch or probe the food to tell you its temperature.

I recommend: Consider the infrared food safety meter offered by ThermoWorks. Fluke offers two non-contact food testing thermometers. Cole-Parmer offers a food safety thermometer that doubles as a contact and non-contact thermometer.

Find a food service thermometer that can monitor the temperatures of refrigerators and freezers

It's not only important to monitor the temperature of food, it's also important that you monitor the temperature of your refrigerators and freezers. Use a refrigerator thermometer to ensure that you're keeping foods at the proper temperatures.

I recommend: Tech Instrumentation offers a wide variety of food industry thermometers to help maintain food safety. Refrigerator temperature thermometers and freezer thermometers can monitor the temperatures inside these appliances. You can purchase them from Mission Restaurant Supply.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Keep a food safety temperature chart handy so that you can refer to it when testing the temperature of cooked food. Different types of meats usually need to reach different temperatures before you can consider them safe to eat.