I see the FDA is citing processors in "warning letters" for not keeping
calibration records on their salometer (salt hydrometer):
"In addition, your firm does not have calibration records for the salometer
used to measure the
salinity of ready-to-eat, cold smoked salmon during the “CURE” critical
control point
operation to control for the food safety hazards of pathogen growth and
toxin formation
including Clostridium botulinum."
I believe that salometers do not need periodic calibrating. They either
float or they don't - and if they don't they are broken and can not be
adjusted! It might be a good idea to check a new salometer against a
standard (like a fully saturated salt solution) to make sure it is reading
correctly (may to make sure the factory didn't screw it up) - but beyond
that I think periodic calibration and record keeping is a waste of time
better spent cleaning up the process area.
Anybody got ANY thoughts on this? Am I wrong? Has anyone ever seen an out of
calibration salt hydrometer? Or an out of calibration hydrometer of any
kind?
Does the glass crack and leak? Why do they need periodic calibration? Do
these simple glass and lead devices pose a hazard which is "reasonably
likely to occur"?
The last one I dropped on a cement floor DID NOT need subsequent
recalibration.
Kenneth S. Hilderbrand Jr.
Seafood Processing Specialist
Sea Grant Extension Program
Oregon State Univ. Marine Science Center
2030 Sth Marine Science Drive
Newport, Oregon 97365-5296 USA
phone: 541 867-0242
fax: 541 867-0369
email: <ken.hilderbrand@hmsc.orst.edu>
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