May 2nd 2011 – A major hospital within the NSW Hospital system has today passed its first paper-less food safety audit.

In late 2010 Data Acquisition Networks installed automated monitoring equipment into a major Sydney hospital and during the early part of 2011 has worked with hospital authorities to modify the system and data presentation to achieve a totally paper-less HACCP based food safety system.

The hospital has probes enabled on every cool room and freezer and through use of the DAN system, data is routinely collected and stored. Each day the hospital supervisor is required to logon to view the data. If either the supervisor does not logon or the cold room temperatures go outside preset levels, alarms are generated. In the event of an alarm the hospital is able to free-script corrective action.

Whilst the DAN system collects data 24/7 and makes the half hourly data available over the internet, the data can be presented in summary format and a sample is shown below.

The table shows the average and the maximum and minimum temperature across 3 days, 2 reports for each day. If there is an issue of concern then the auditor and hospital officials can search behind the summary data and look at each half-hour interval.

Achieving a paper-less HACCP system does however require more than just collection of temperatures from probes in coolrooms. Receival temperatures from suppliers need to be monitored as does re-thermalised temperatures and sanitising details. Calibration records also need to be electronically maintained.

The table above shows a typical days input for meals served. Kitchen operators are able to enter data into the system with the minimum of training.

Recent enhancements by data Acquisition Networks allow for large numbers of recipes to be included.

Setting out on a journey to achieve world-class food safety is for some, a daunting thought! Electronically capturing data does not allow for manual modification of results however, when the challenge is accepted and DAN is working with you, the results can be outstanding.

Call Data Acquisition Networks today on 1300 973 180 to find out more about how you can achieve outstanding food safety through the adoption of paper-less HACCP monitoring systems.