ISO 9001 Calibration Requirements for Hotel Industry

[Sartaj Bedi]

A dish washer being calibrated? :mg: If we don't apply ISO 9001 with common sense, we are only helping the detractors of the standard.

PS. This is a very old thread.

A QMS for a food retail establishment will require to have food safety as a mandatory process. Please find what the US food code says about temp control. If a dishwshing machines has performance criteria listed below, do you think a calibration is not required. Please do give your opinion.

4-501.110 Mechanical Warewashing Equipment, Wash
Solution Temperature.
(A) The temperature of the wash solution in spray type
warewashers that use hot water to SANITIZE may not be less
than:
(1) For a stationary rack, single temperature machine, 74oC
(165oF);
(2) For a stationary rack, dual temperature machine, 66oC
(150oF);
(3) For a single tank, conveyor, dual temperature machine,
71oC (160oF); or
(4) For a multitank, conveyor, multitemperature machine,
66oC (150oF).
126
(B) The temperature of the wash solution in spray-type
warewashers that use chemicals to SANITIZE may not be less
than 49oC (120oF).
4-501.111 Manual Warewashing Equipment, Hot Water
Sanitization Temperatures.*
If immersion in hot water is used for SANITIZING in a manual
operation, the temperature of the water shall be maintained at
77oC (171oF) or above.
4-501.112 Mechanical Warewashing Equipment, Hot
Water Sanitization Temperatures.
(A) Except as specified in & (B) of this section, in a mechanical
operation, the temperature of the fresh hot water SANITIZING
rinse as it enters the manifold may not be more than 90oC
(194oF), or less than:
(1) For a stationary rack, single temperature machine, 74oC
(165oF); or
(2) For all other machines, 82oC (180oF).
(B) The maximum temperature specified under ¶ (A) of this
section, does not apply to the high pressure and temperature
systems with wand-type, hand-held, spraying devices used for
the in-place cleaning and SANITIZING of EQUIPMENT such as
meat saws.
4-501.113 Mechanical Warewashing Equipment,
Sanitization Pressure.
The flow pressure of the fresh hot water SANITIZING rinse in a
WAREWASHING machine may not be less than 100 kilopascals
(15 pounds per square inch) or more than 170 kilopascals (25
pounds per square inch) as measured in the water line
immediately downstream or upstream from the fresh hot water
SANITIZING rinse control valve.

 

[Sartaj Bedi]

Irrespective of whether an establishment is certified to ISO 9001 or not, facilities like boilers (for supply of steam) or chillers are normally regulated by separate regulations and which would include the need for calibration of pressure (a form of safety) or temperature measurement devices.

With regards to hot/cold water, they are normally supplied at a certain temperature and users use the tap 'mixer' to adjust temperature of the water to suit their comfort. This is similar for air-conditioning. In this respect, I agree with Sidney that organizations should exercise common sense when implementing a QMS.

In india, and I think in other countries a 5 star hotel has a performance standard of supplying water at specified temperature. I think its 55 degree C. If thats the criteria then how will an organisation ensure compliance.

 

[Sidney Vianna]

A QMS for a food retail establishment will require to have food safety as a mandatory process.

I agree.

Please find what the US food code says about temp control. If a dishwshing machines has performance criteria listed below, do you think a calibration is not required. Please do give your opinion.

Can you please clarify what code is the one that you pasted information from?

I do reckon that that the work environment and infrastructure requirements of ISO 9001 would have implications to a restaurant's operation, seeking compliance with ISO 9001. However, I do believe that there is a need for common sense to be applied. If you are going to demand calibration of temperature gages for a dishwasher, then you should also require temperature surveys of the ovens, where food is baked, calibration of kitchen scales, clocks (used to monitor the time the food is in the oven), glassware used to measure ingredients, etc...

And, after all that, one should ask oneself: Is the quality of this food any better? Is all the expense providing a ROI? Not all restaurants are (broken link removed) that can invest so much and still operate profitably.

Just my

 

[AnaMariaVR2]

Here are some documents that I found...maybe it helps.

Ana

 

[AnaMariaVR2]

[article] Calibration—The Good, the Bad And the Ugly

Check out this article on calibration...

 

[atitheya]

I do reckon that that the work environment and infrastructure requirements of ISO 9001 would have implications to a restaurant's operation, seeking compliance with ISO 9001. However, I do believe that there is a need for common sense to be applied. If you are going to demand calibration of temperature gages for a dishwasher, then you should also require temperature surveys of the ovens, where food is baked, calibration of kitchen scales, clocks (used to monitor the time the food is in the oven), glassware used to measure ingredients, etc...

And, after all that, one should ask oneself: Is the quality of this food any better? Is all the expense providing a ROI? Not all restaurants are (broken link removed) that can invest so much and still operate profitably.

Just my

Yes, you are right, temperatures and time at the oven, salamandor etc are regulated, else how would you get a good cake or bread, or pizza.

Simply take the microwave at your home. if the timer of your microwave goes bezerk, what happens?

It is quite clear from the posts above that the complexity of the hotel and restaurant business is not well understood. Also, you can not imagine the type of peculiar requests and requirements guests come with.

What Mr Sartaj Bedi says is absolutely right. And why only the law requirement, these calibration are required if one uses 'COMMON SENSE' in order to maintain quality, efficiency and effectiveness. And this I am saying since I have a background in hospitality.

The methodology and frequency of such verification / calibration may differ, but all the same, it is needed.

Do you know, a restaurant chain (and a quite successful one) had specific measurable spoons and ladles used in kitchen for recipe standardisation. Of course, spoons are generally used as a measure in daily routine as well.

 

[Sidney Vianna]

Yes, you are right, temperatures and time at the oven, salamandor etc are regulated, else how would you get a good cake or bread, or pizza.

Around the World, on a daily basis, millions of excellent cakes, breads and pizzas are prepared in private, commercial and professional kitchens without any calibrated instrumentation, other than the original setting, done at the factory.

 

[atitheya]

Around the World, on a daily basis, millions of excellent cakes, breads and pizzas are prepared in private, commercial and professional kitchens without any calibrated instrumentation, other than the original setting, done at the factory.

You are right again. In fact, most of the cooking and baking has been happening for ages without any calibrated instrumentation, and with excellent results, and this continues even now.

However, with the automisation and mechanisation of the processes came the need for these gadgets and to give accurate results. You will also agree that the original settings of the equipment do need to be verified over a period of time and if found faulty to be replaced or re-calibrated.

I can bake a cake in a pressure cooker without any calibration equipment and without applying pressure, even clay ovens can and are being used. All I will need to do is keep checking the status, and with experience the frequency of these checks go down. And if I want to use an electric oven, I will like to make sure that the oven gives and keeps giving right temperature particularly, and is used for right amount of time, so that I can utilise such time in doing other productive activity.

Also,

What you see as excellent cakes, breads and pizzas prepared without calibrated / verified instruments are results of higher experience and quality control. The ones gone bad do not see the market.

(BTW Thanks for editing the message, I appreciate.)