Frequently Asked Questions

By law, cold food in commercial storage must be kept at 8°C or below. However, UK industry best practice and EHO guidance strongly recommend setting commercial fridges between 1°C and 5°C to slow bacterial growth effectively and provide a safety buffer during peak service periods.

Standard air-temperature sensors react instantly to warm air entering when fridge doors are opened repeatedly during service. You can eliminate these false alarms by using thermal-buffered sensors, which submerge the probe in a dense gel or bottle medium that simulates actual food core temperature rather than rapid ambient air fluctuations.

Commercial temperature probes and fridge sensors should be calibrated at least once every 12 months to remain compliant with HACCP standards and satisfy EHO requirements. Keeping valid, serialised UK-traceable calibration certificates on file proves equipment accuracy during inspections.

During an inspection, an EHO will ask to see your active HACCP documentation, up-to-date daily temperature logs, staff food hygiene certificates, cleaning schedules, and valid calibration certificates for all temperature measuring hardware used on-site.

Ambient air sensors measure the temperature of the air inside a fridge, which spikes every time the door opens or a defrost cycle runs. Thermal-buffered monitoring tracks the actual core temperature of the stored food, preventing unnecessary stock disposal and eliminating false warning alerts.

An advance-exchange service prevents equipment downtime during annual checks. Before your calibration certificate expires, freshly certified replacement probes are shipped directly to your venue. You swap out the old units for the newly calibrated ones and return the expired devices in pre-paid packaging.

Yes. EHO inspectors accept both handheld digital probes and continuous wireless monitoring systems. To be compliant, the devices must be supported by an individual serialised calibration certificate and backed by a consistent daily verification routine.

Always use dedicated probes or sanitise needle probes with food-safe probe wipes before and after inserting them into food items. For high-volume line checks, fast-response needle probes minimise heat loss and prevent product damage.

Penetration probes feature a sharp needle tip designed to measure internal food core temperatures. Air probes measure ambient temperatures inside cold rooms or holding units. Surface probes assess flat surfaces like griddles or prep plates without piercing the product.

In the UK, hot food held for service must be kept at 63°C or above. If the temperature drops below 63°C, the food can only be displayed for a maximum of 2 hours before it must be cooked again, cooled rapidly, or discarded.

A UK-traceable calibration certificate proves that your thermometer or sensor has been tested against recognised national measurement standards. Having serialised certificates on file provides verified proof to EHO auditors that your equipment is operating within safe tolerances.

Isolate the unit immediately and measure the core temperature of the stored food using a calibrated penetration probe. If chilled food has risen above 8°C for more than 4 hours, or frozen food has defrosted and warmed, it must be safely discarded to comply with food safety law.

Ratings are calculated across three main operational areas: hygienic food handling (preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling, and storage), physical condition of facilities (cleanliness, layout, ventilation, and pest control), and confidence in management (HACCP systems, staff training, temperature records, and equipment calibration).

High-performance commercial probes should deliver a stable core reading within 2 to 5 seconds. Fast response times are essential during busy service to maintain workflow speed and prevent heat loss from cooked dishes.

Yes, digital temperature records are fully recognised by EHO inspectors provided the system is reliable, accurate, and easily accessible during an audit. Automated digital logging reduces human error and ensures continuous, tamper-proof records.

You can perform a routine inline check using the ice-point method: fill a glass with crushed ice and a little cold water, insert the probe tip into the slush without touching the sides, and verify that the reading displays 0.0°C (within a ±0.5°C tolerance).

A Critical Control Point (CCP) is a specific step in food preparation where control measures must be applied to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level—such as core cooking temperatures, rapid chilling, or cold storage limits.

Sensors should be placed in the warmest part of the unit—typically near the door or on a middle shelf away from direct airflow from evaporator fans. This ensures that even the most vulnerable stock stays safely below legal thresholds.

Folding pocket probes keep the sharp needle sensor safely enclosed when closed, preventing tip damage, maintaining probe hygienic integrity, and reducing puncture injury risks when carried in chef whites.

Environmental Health guidelines recommend keeping daily temperature logs and calibration certificates on file for at least 6 to 12 months. Retaining records allows venues to demonstrate consistent, long-term compliance during unannounced inspections.

For any billing, account, or technical queries, please reach out via our Contact Page. When contacting us regarding a technical issue, please include a clear description of the problem along with any relevant details—such as error messages, your device, or your account email—so our team can resolve your query quickly and efficiently the first time.