'Ferry good news from Testo'

04 October 2012

As the largest and most famous UK ferry operator, P&O Ferries is very proud of its reputation with the travelling public; ensuring that on-board restuarants are providing safe and healthy food at all times is critical to protecting this reputation.

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A key instrument used by P&O in their kitchens to ensure the highest standards of food quality is the Testo 270 Cooking Oil Tester.

The light and smart Testo 270 allows the chefs to accurately determine the optimum time to renew cooking oil ensuring the highest product quality and reducing cooking oil costs. Whether used within the kitchen area or in front of passengers the Testo 270 inspires confidence and peace of mind.

The Testo 270 measures both cooking oil temperature and Total Polar Materials (TPM), the chemical products which emerge during the frying process such as free fatty acids and mono/di-glycerides. The clear and easy to read display indicates the oil temperature, whilst the distinctive “traffic light” alarm function shows if TPM quality limit values are met.

Quick adjustments, if necessary, can then be made to ensure compliance with BS EN ISO 8420:2002 standards. The 270 Set consists of clear instructions, dishwasher proof TopSafe protection case, hand strap, reference oil and batteries in a high-grade aluminium case. The measuring range is 0.5 to 40% TPM and accuracy is +/- 2.0% TPM (+40 to +190º) and +/- 1 C/ ºF.

P&O Ferries operate a fleet of 21 ships, the widest choice of routes and the most frequent service to the Continent and Ireland for tourist and freight passengers. The company employs more than 4000 staff and carries approximately 9 million passengers every year.

Typical of the criteria of the latest ships is the magnificent purpose-built Pride of Rotterdam which at 59000 tonnes is one of the biggest ferries in the world and can carry 1200 passengers and 120 crew plus vehicles of all shapes and sizes between Hull and Rotterdam.

The Food & Beverages Manager Peter Agterberg is an impressed advocate of the Testo technology “The whole issue of food safety and hygiene is absolutely core to our ethos and we monitor the situation on a continual basis whilst also needing to comply to both UK and Dutch standards. P&O Ferries has a very strong and important relationship with the British public.

“We proudly operate three different catering options and the Testo product is not only modern and looking but very simple to use and understand. The latter point is well made by the traffic light system which given our 13 languages of the crew ensures no errors.

“We studied the market for a year before committing to the 270 testers for all of the North Sea ships and it has become a standard feature of our health and safety mindset whilst rapidly paying for itself in terms of preserving the cooking oils and avoiding wastage which used to be a factor as some types of food ingredients can colour and mask the fact that the oil is still viable.

“We are delighted with the all round success of this purchase and to be seen to be ahead of what we predict as forthcoming legislation on the subject”.

For further details of Testo please call 01420 544433 or visit www.testolimited.com