If you are interested in oven profiling for FSMA compliance, including validation of the kill step protocol, look no further than the state-of-the-art Reading Thermal SCORPION® 2 Profile System and Data Logger and our various sensors and sensor arrays.
Reading Thermal, headquartered in Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, has been focused on measuring and researching the commercial baking process for more than 25 years. We manufacture and support the SCORPION® 2 Data Logger, which enables bakers to monitor actual in-process conditions and gather the critical information they need to correct problems and maintain optimum process control.
This powerful diagnostic tool has developed into an industry standard for understanding and improving your proofing, baking, cooling and freezing processes.
What is Kill Step Validation?
A “kill step” typically refers to a point in the food manufacturing process where potentially deadly pathogens (e.g., salmonella, E. coli, listeria, etc.) are eradicated from the product (usually by killing the pathogen).
Although the majority of baked products experience a kill step during baking, there is usually no scientific evidence that it occurred. FSMA requires documentary proof of the kill step to confirm that the baking process is consistently delivering the desired lethal effect to ensure that harmful pathogens and microorganisms have been reduced to safe levels.
State-of-the-Art Solution
The SCORPION® 2 Temperature Sensor Array measures temperature at product level, in fixed positions across the conveyor, and delivers a true representation of what your product is experiencing over time.
The sensor array is connected to the SCORPION® 2 Profiling System and Data Logger and travels through the oven with the product (with the oven under full load), producing an exact picture of temperature from side-to-side and end-to-end.
Different types of pluggable temperature sensors are available, including one designed for solid or tight mesh conveyors and one for open mesh conveyors.
The Air/Conveyor sensor is designed to measure the surface temperature of the conveyor as well as the air temperature directly above the conveyor. This Sensor is designed for solid or tight mesh conveyors and measures air and band temperatures.
The other pluggable temperature sensor is an Air/Air sensor. It is designed to measure upper air temperature immediately above the conveyor, and lower air temperature of the air rising through the conveyor. It is meant for open mesh conveyors.
Once data has been collected, the SCORPION® Software (SV8) Food Safety Module enable you to calculate lethality and then generates a comprehensive report displaying cumulative log reduction.
By combining the simple method of measurement with robust data capture, the SCORPION® 2 System makes it easy to optimize your process while meeting food safety standards.
The innovative SCORPION® 2 oven profiling system from Reading Bakery is ideal for FSMA compliance, including validation of the kill step protocol. Contact us online, or call us at (610) 678-5890 Ext. 2 to learn more.