Preparing for the Unexpected: How IoT Technology Enhances Food Safety

By: Tom Woodbury

Food safety continues to be a challenge for the foodservice industry. In the U.S. alone, there are 48 million cases of foodborne illness annually—the equivalent of sickening 1 in 6 Americans each year. It’s a chief concern for restaurants as serving contaminated food damages their brand reputation and can be quite costly. According to the National Library of Medicine, the cost of a single foodborne illness outbreak can be $2M+ depending on the type of establishment (fast-food, fast-casual, casual and fine-dining).

The restaurant industry is beginning to tackle foodborne illnesses by using technology to enhance operational efficiencies with safety at the forefront. Internet of Things (IoT) solutions are pivotal in food safety initiatives and empower restaurant managers and staff to take proactive measures to improve food safety, from using IoT sensors to ensure proper cook times and monitor hot holding temperatures to promoting better handwashing and hygiene through connected restroom technology and smart pest control.

Enhancing Food Safety Through Digital Temperature Monitoring

• Temperature monitoring in refrigerators and freezers is a crucial area where IoT technology can make a substantial impact by automating the monitoring and logging processes and providing increased visibility into temperature conditions in cold holding units. Consider an overnight power outage: with digital temperature monitoring, wireless IoT devices inside refrigerators and freezers continuously record temperature data at predefined intervals. Even during a power outage,.....Read More