The PCE-IR 100 is an environmental tester for measuring surface temperature and for measuring the core temperature of food. This environmental tester allows for quick and easy testing of food surface temperatures without contamination using the infrared sensor, while also offering the possibility of testing food internal temperatures using the food-quality sensor probe, making the environmental tester a useful tool for complying with the hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) system.

The HACCP system was established to ensure food safety and consistent product quality. Food cannot be put into circulation if it doesn't meet strict safety standards like those in the HACCP. Temperature checks should be made frequently throughout the food supply chain. It is particularly important to test perishable food temperature during transport, as food products can travel significant distances to reach their final destination.

Food poisoning is a much more serious hazard that people think. From time to time it happens everywhere: at home, at the restaurants, markets, food courts in the malls, at the fast food facilities, at the food manufacturing plants, stores etc. Bacteria may be fatal if sufficient and strict control is carries out carelessly or is absent at all. Food ready for consumption often goes through many stages, from the raw condition to the final stage when it gets to the consumer as a meal (boiled, baked, fried, canned, tinned, bottled etc). Strict temperature regime is a “must be” condition, and it applies to storage, transportation, preparation, procession and finally cooking. Environmental testers as well as contact thermometers, being small devices, have become very big helpers for those who deal with the food and worship their reputation, thus fulfilling all the norms and meeting the sanitary-epidemiological requirements and standards of the Health care organizations. Non-contact infrared device is absolutely advantageous, since allows for avoiding contamination of the sensor with the food particles and carrying out the measurement quickly and efficiently without any preparation. It means that the measurement may be carried out any time at any stage of the transportation or production process.

Extreme cooling as well as overheating may have aggravating consequences and spoil the goods. The environmental tester, within a few seconds, helps its operator to understand if the situation is within control or some changes should be carried out immediately. Control of equipment, shelves, cooling cabinets, grills and any other equipment involved into the production process is also possible with the help of the non-contact environmental tester. It may happen, that the customers bring some products from the supermarket which they have just bought, and with the expiry date, but the product is not suitable for consumption. An explanation may be that the cooling shelf at the store had a temperature higher than 4-5 degrees. Application of environmental tester helps easily to determine such spots on the shelves where the products cannot be stored appropriately. The same applies to the restaurants. If the food has not been kept warm at the temperatures higher than 60 °C, the risk of bacteria growth, caused by the wrong cooling is very high. With the help of the device the reheating may be carried out correctly and that is at the temperatures not less that 74 °C.

Even for household application this device suits perfectly well and determination of the optimal frying pan temperature for pancakes or meat is easy and very precise.

If the storage and transportation conditions have been in order and the raw or semi-food is in a perfect condition, the next stage, which is cooking should be taken seriously as well.

Different products have got different structure and texture and require different cooking times. To ensure that the bacteria are destroyed and not multiplying, correct temperature for each particular product must be applied. For example, undercooked fish may cause serious health disorders, overbaked meatloaf will lose its taste and get dry. Non-contact temperature measurement allows for avoiding mistakes in the process of cooking, which from the one side, provides safety, and from the other, helps to reach excellent taste.

Very often the temperature control is required for monitoring the change of internal temperature (especially when cooking meat dishes, making sauces or baking). For this purpose, non-contact device is equipped with the needle probe which can be inserted in the required spot precisely. One of the very responsible and challenging occupation that has become quite popular nowadays is catering. It is convenient and very popular among people who want to get lots of cooked dishes brought to their home or party without being involved into the cooking process. The task of the food provider is not only to present a variety of good-looking dishes, but to ensure that all the meals without exception, correspond to hygienic norms to 100%. Non-contact thermometer for such tasks is quite handy, since it allows carrying out the check quickly: the temperature for warm dishes must be sustained, cool appetizers must be cool enough etc.

Food processing enterprises and food serving objects, ready-dishes delivers, cafes, restaurants etc. are always under strict control from the side of the officials. Regular checks are directed to revealing the violations and thus, protecting the consumers. Non-contact environmental tester is the hands of the tester or checker is a powerful tool, which helps to check a big number of locations and objects within just a few minutes. To avoid serious problems and fines, as well as spoilage of the reputation if it goes about, for example, restaurants.