Measuring the temperature of fully cooked chicken products
We produce fully cooked chicken products - whole muscle, not breaded or battered. Occasionally we will have a low temperature at our CCP monitoring station that just doesn't make sense. The temperatures before and after the piece that temped low (below 165) were all between 180 and 195 degrees. Temperatures are taken continuously - internal temperature in the center of the piece. No issues with the ovens. Could someone help me understand why there would be fluctuation like this? I'm leaning towards an air pocket, marinade pocket, cartilage or something inside of the piece that was temped that could cause this drop and decline in temperature. We take one temp and it must be instantaneous. I personally have taken temperatures and if the probe is re-inserted the temp jumps back up and holds in the 180 to 195 range - which is why I don't think it is a true undercooked piece. How can we justify taking more than one temp if it stops dropping like that? Is there another type of thermometer that we could use to monitor the temperatures? We currently use a hand held with probe attached.
Thank you!
Hello Tanward,
Firstly, check your oven temperature setting. Is you temperature controller is functioning well?
regards,
redfox
Hi tanward,
I can think of several possibilities or perhaps combination thereof -
Faulty probe.
Faulty probe insertion technique.
Substantial internal temp. variations with position in meat.
Genuine variations in Product temperature.
Faulty oven temperature control. Or time.
Substantial variations of temperature with oven position.
(1) It is likely you will have to validate the (lack of) measurement error.
(2) If measurement reliable, will have to re-validate the cooking process. Perhaps it's standard deviation requires different process settings for safety.
It may also depend on the meaning of "occasional".
Hi tanward:
Redfox is correct - make sure your monitoring equipment is working first. Charles also has excellent points for the process itself.
One thing you should do is send some temperature probes in product through the oven itself. This will either help validate your cooking process, or may show you where your issues are. Need to send probes in product across the width of the cooker to help identify any localized cold spots. You should be able to find stainless steel temp probes that will survive the high cooker temps - Ellelab makes some I think.
Keith