2 examples of temperature monitoring gone wrong

At Testo, we do our utmost to ensure that a range of industries have the instruments they need to take accurate measurements that keep staff, clients and customers safe. Despite this, some businesses still choose to go it alone, and as the following examples show, this doesn’t always work out for the best.

When it comes to dealing with food, great care needs to be taken to ensure it leaves the factory or laboratory in a condition that is safe to eat. Temperature plays a key part in this, especially as many food-borne illnesses are the result of incorrect heat settings.

Here some examples of businesses that got it wrong.

1. Listeria contaminates ice cream shipments

An ice cream production business in the United States recently had entire shipments of product contaminated by a potentially deadly outbreak of Listeria. This was made even more difficult for the company by the fact that its production was spread across multiple facilities, with no clear direction as to where the bacteria originated.

This caused serious harm to the business in question, both financially and in terms of reputation damage, with around 4,000 workers displaced while the investigations took place.

So far, the official infection count from the Food and Drug Association stands at 10, a relatively small number considering the extent of the product’s dispersal.

2. Principals conference ruined by salmonella

While there is never a good time for food-borne illnesses to emerge, some are significantly worse than others, like conferences filled with thousands of people. Of the 1,200 attendees of an education conference in Brisbane in February, 250 contracted food poisoning with symptoms suggesting salmonella.

To add further seriousness to the outbreak, 24 of the 250 had to be hospitalised as their condition worsened.

The varied menu made narrowing down the cause difficult, prompting an investigation by Queensland Health.

“We are looking deep into our supply chain to see if there is any possibility that food supplied to the centre was the cause,” General Manager of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre Bob O’Keeffe told ABC News on March 4.

“We are taking this matter very seriously and are cooperating fully with Queensland Health.”

How can you ensure your supply chain isn’t compromised?

An effective temperature monitoring solution like the Testo Saveris is needed to ensure your food laboratory is not contaminating another company’s supply chain.

These systems allow for comprehensive monitoring of all production stages, keeping food products at the optimal temperature levels as required by law.