Equipment calibration is vital to food safety. Calibration ensures that the equipment you use can monitor your food process accurately and consistently, minimizing physical, chemical, or biological hazards. In this guide find out the answers to the most common questions asked about equipment calibration.
What is Calibration and Why is it Important?
Calibration is the process of adjusting a measuring instrument to make it accurate. It also helps to ensure food safety. In the food industry, calibration is important because it ensures that the measurements are accurate and that food safety standards are met. When equipment is not calibrated, it could lead to inaccurate readings, time wasted on food production, and potential health risks for your customers.
Which equipment requires calibration?
All the devices and equipment used to measure and monitor critical food safety and quality assurance characteristics should be calibrated. The type of equipment that is used in a food business depends on the product that is processed. Examples of equipment requiring calibration can include:
- Process equipment, such as scales, ovens, mixers, metal detectors, and ovens
- Laboratory instruments, such as pH meters and spectrophotometers
- Environmental monitors, such as temperature loggers in coolrooms, chlorine dispensers
- Hand-held temperature measuring devices, such as probe or infrared thermometers
What are the Different Types of Calibration?
There are three types of calibration:
1) Absolute Calibration: This type of calibration is done by comparing the reading from an instrument with a known reference value.
2) Relative Calibration: This type of calibration is done by comparing the reading from an instrument with another instrument that has already been calibrated.
3) Zero Calibration: This type of calibration is done by adjusting the zero point on an instrument so that it agrees with a known reference value.
How often should equipment be calibrated?
Equipment used in food processing will require regular calibration as they can lose their accuracy over time. The frequency of instrument calibration depends on many factors, including the type of measurement, the amount of usage, and how often the specific instrument is used. One instrument may need calibrating every month, while another may only need calibrating once a year.
When a piece of equipment or instrument is initially installed, manufacturers will recommend how often it needs to be calibrated. Manufacturers may also recommend how often you should recalibrate. Other factors that influence the frequency of calibration can include regulatory requirements and external third-party certification standards.
Government authorities may define equipment calibration requirements in legislation as to how often you must calibrate certain pieces of equipment. These can be things around pH meters, thermometers, ovens or any of those pieces of equipment which they may regulate.
For external standards, like BRCGS, SQF or FSSC22000, review the standard to see if a defined a particular time frame in which you have to calibrate equipment.
Components of a calibration schedule
Calibration schedules are used in many industries, but they are especially important in the food industry. The calibration schedule is used to ensure that all the equipment used in food production is calibrated correctly and that it meets all safety standards.
Your calibration schedule should include:
- The name, type and application of the equipment
- The location of the equipment
- The serial number of the equipment
- The method of calibration
- The degree of accuracy
- Frequency of calibration
- Person or provider responsible for completing the calibration
You can also include the date the equipment was last calibrated so you can track when upcoming calibrations are due.
Common calibration activities to perform in your food business
There are many calibration activities that you can perform in your food business but two stand out as the most common. One of those is calibrating thermometers, while the other is calibrating scales. I have previously written on how to calibrate a food thermometer along with the importance of scale calibration. You can refer to these posts for more information.
If you use an external calibration provider to perform any calibration, make sure that the supplier is accredited or certified to undertake the calibration. You can request a copy of their calibration methods and any associated accreditation certificates.
Share your thoughts
Calibration ensures that the measuring and metering equipment is not just accurate but also helps with food safety, quality assurance, and food industry compliance. If you have any questions or would like to share your tips on equipment calibration, please leave a comment below this post.
