Knowledge Feed: Temperature Control – a Crucial Defense Against the Risks of Foodborne Pathogens

June 18, 2024

Storing food at incorrect temperatures remains one of the most common food safety violations for grocery operations. Leverage our expertise in managing temperature control risks.

The potential far-reaching impacts of poor temperature control

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that each year 1 in 6 Americans get sick from contaminated food or beverages and 3,000 die from foodborne illness¹. And in Europe, 23 million people fall ill from unsafe food each year ².

Underpinned by food regulations, industry best practice, and food safety programs such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), food safety continues to be a top priority for food supply chains around the world.

Effective temperature control is a vital aspect of any food safety program, since food safety temperatures are crucial in helping control foodborne pathogens – bacteria, viruses and parasites – which may lead to illness and disease. In fact, establishing critical control points, including temperature measurements, is one of the seven principles of HACCP.

Depending on the food type, temperature guidelines can vary. The method of processing and packaging of a food item can have a bearing on optimal temperatures. Sutida Ketudut, Director of Food Retail Solutions at NSF in Asia Pacific says, “Understanding product variation is vital – different food types should be kept at different temperatures for different amounts of time”.

So, there are variables to be aware of, and storing food at incorrect temperatures remains one of the most common food safety violations for retailers. Failure to meet food safety regulations in relation to temperature controls carries huge risk. It can result in prosecution, financial penalties, and reputational damage.

Storing food at incorrect temperatures remains one of the most common food safety violations for retailers.

Minimize the risks

Leading food retail brands turn to NSF in their thousands every year to conduct their food safety audits, meaning we are well placed to understand the risks of poor temperature control and help you to mitigate them. Our expert team has analyzed our rich bank of data and created a useful checklist as a refresher for existing team members, or to help educate new employees.

Incorrect storage and display
Incorrect placement of products within refrigerators, freezers, and chilled display units can hinder adequate cold air circulation and cause inconsistent temperatures that compromise the quality and safety of perishable goods.

Particularly challenging areas include the display of chilled products in open units – of fresh fish on ice beds, for example – and the storage of products in large containers that prevent effective cooling of the entire batch.
Poor hygiene
The importance of temperature control is magnified by poor hygiene practices. This is because pests and bacteria that can cause food poisoning – and which multiply in warm conditions – can be spread easily without adequate workplace cleaning, personal hygiene, and protective clothing and equipment in food handling environments.
Equipment malfunctions and power loss
Faults and failures in refrigeration equipment and power supply can result in inaccurate temperature control. Lack of investment in new refrigeration equipment and technology and/or irregular maintenance, including neglecting routine checks and servicing, will increase the likelihood of breakdowns and temperature control failures.

Search for NSF certified equipment at: nsf.org/equipmentcheck
Inadequate monitoring
Poor monitoring of temperature levels at regular intervals can cause delayed detection of issues and a higher likelihood of product degradation. Common reasons for inadequate monitoring include management neglect, poor staff training or outdated/insufficient equipment.
Human error
Mistakes in handling, storing or transporting products, such as leaving refrigerators open, forgetting to turn them on, or turning cooling equipment off at night to save energy costs can result in temperature control breaches. Such mistakes are often caused by lack of proper training for staff on temperature control protocols.
Cold chain breaks
Temperature-sensitive products may be exposed to unfavorable conditions during transportation, causing risks if the correct temperature is not maintained.

Foster a culture of food safety

How can food retailers foster a culture of food safety to ensure they meet temperature control guidelines, and other food safety requirements? At NSF we believe this can be achieved through a combination of three key factors.

People

Effective risk management in grocery store operations and across the supply chain starts at the top, with senior management commitment to sound corporate governance, legal compliance, and risk management. This includes setting the right policies and procedures and providing sufficient resources for temperature control.

Process

Successful temperature control includes measures and plans that address potential risks promptly. This should include checks on suppliers and transport conditions for temperature sensitive products, and contingency plans for power outages and other instances should things go wrong.

Technology

Critical to the success of your food safety management program is ensuring the equipment you use in your food operations does not pose potential food safety and hygiene risks. To be sure your equipment is reliable, check it has been verified or certified by NSF.

Leverage our expertise for your temperature control success

NSF is a leading authority in food safety compliance, and we understand the complexities of achieving consistency in food safety management. Leveraging decades of auditing and compliance experience, we specialize in providing independent and robust second party food safety audits for grocery stores, supermarkets and convenience stores.

As your trusted advisor, we come armed with deep industry expertise, ready to meet your needs with highly calibrated, qualified food safety auditors, and knowledgeable, responsive and customer-focused account managers.

Our audits are intended not only to detect any potential issues, but also to provide actionable insights and recommendations. With our rich data gained from conducting thousands of audits each year with leading food retail brands, we can demonstrate food safety pitfalls and risk areas, and work with you to address them.

Where specific risks are identified, we can offer tailored coaching sessions to provide targeted action plans as part of your improvement program.

Contributor to this article

Sutida Ketudut, Director Retail Solutions, NSF, APAC

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Sources:

¹ CDC. CDC and Food Safety www.cdc.gov/food-safety/about/what-cdc-is-doing.html

²WHO. 23 million people falling ill from unsafe food each year in Europe is just the tip of the iceberg. www.who.int/news/item/05-06-2019-23-million-people-falling-ill-from-unsafe-food-each-year-in-europe-is-just-the-tip-of-the-iceberg