Temperature monitoring is the regular measurement and recording of the temperature of fridges, freezers, cool rooms and hot-holding equipment. It shows that food is stored safely and gives early warning when equipment fails.
It can be manual, where staff read a thermometer and sign a log, or automated, where wireless sensors report temperatures to an app or cloud dashboard. Automated systems record readings continuously, keep an audit history and send an alert by SMS or email if a reading goes out of range or a door is left open.
Under Australian food safety guidance, cold potentially hazardous food should be kept at 5°C or below and hot food at 60°C or above, as the range between is where bacteria multiply fastest. Cafés, restaurants, supermarkets, bakeries and convenience stores use monitoring to meet their food safety obligations and to protect stock overnight and on weekends.
Pitfalls include sensors placed in the wrong spot, readings no one acts on, flat batteries and Wi-Fi gaps in cool rooms. Alerts need a clear owner and response. Check the requirements that apply in your state and council.
A failed cool room can mean thousands of dollars of stock lost. Continuous monitoring reduces that risk and gives records for inspections.