The Best Commercial Dishwasher Thermometer for Health Code Compliance
A visit from your local health inspector always seems to come at the wrong time. During service, during cleanup, during prep—it’s never convenient. But that inconvenience doesn’t have to translate into worry if you use the right equipment.
Hot Sanitizing Rinse
The dishwasher can cause problems for restaurants and kitchens. If it doesn’t sanitize correctly, inspectors will note it and write them up, perhaps stalling business until the problem is fixed. You can’t have that! But what does correct sanitization look like? If don’t use a chemical-sanitizing dishwasher, a hot sanitizing rinse is necessary to kill pathogens that may live on dish surfaces.
FDA Food Code section 4-703.11(B) deals with hot water sanitation. It states that after they are washed, all food contact surfaces and utensils must be sanitized by heating them to a surface temperature of 71°C (160°F) as measured by an irreversible registering temperature indicator.
What is an irreversible registering temperature indicator?
An “irreversible registering temperature indicator” holds the highest temperature reached, not changing as the device cools. This lets you read the peak sanitization temperature. Some operations use temperature test strips for their sanitization testing. But there is a better option.
DishTemp by ThermoWorks is a dishwasher thermometer puckthat simulates a plate, recording the highest surface temperature, and holding that reading until the display is manually cleared.
It is durable, reusable, accurate to ±0.9°F (0.5°C), and easy to use. It outclasses temperature strips, as well as any other dish thermometer. And it’s highly affordable.
DishTemp: The Maximum Registering Thermometer That Pays for Itself
Temperature testing strips cost money. They can cost about $0.50 each, which adds up over the course of a week, a month, or a quarter. We know that thin margins are the reality in food service, so every cent of savings helps. Use our DishTemp Savings Calculator to find out how much money you’ll save every week (or year) using DishTemp. You’ll see that DishTemp pays for itself in as little as a month, depending on your testing requirements.
A Dishwasher Thermometer Solution for Integrated Automation
DishTemp is a phenomenal dish thermometer that easily fulfills the regulations, but if you need more automation, we recommend DisTemp Blue, the BlueTooth® connected version of DishTemp. It can seamlessly integrate with your safety management and recording software. Push a button and the DishTemp Blue sends the temp right to your connected device, storing it for your records. This solution is perfect for highly connected production lines or kitchens where pencil-recording just isn’t working.
Stop wasting time and money with temperature test strips—upgrade your kitchen to a food-code compliant device easily today. DishTemp is easier to use than test strips, is reusable, and will pay for itself quickly with test-strip savings. Plus, your health inspector will be impressed by your commitment to temperature recording, no matter when they show up.
For more on DishTemp, read our whitepaper on the topic: DishTemp Whitepaper
