CheckPoint® Temperature Labels

Time-Temperature Tracking

What is a CheckPoint

SmartLabel™? It is a simple adhesive label attached to food cartons to check for temperature abuse. CheckPoint

monitors a carton or food package from the processor to the retailer and stays with the package until the point of retail sale.

These CheckPoint labels react to time and temperature in the same way that food products react, and thus give a signal about the state of freshness and remaining shelf life. This signal is an easy-to-read color dot.

The general rule is "colder means longer life and warmer means shorter life". This defines the time-temperature relationship for perishable food products. We know its true, but it represents a challenge because it is not clearly visible: how can I know when a food item has been temperature-abused? You can't see temperature abuse (you only learn about it when it is too late).

Until now. CheckPoint tracks the time-temperature relationship and makes it visible in a color dot, starting white>>green at activation, remaining green during most of the time run, then displaying yellow>>red-orange at the end. Its a whole new way to ensure freshness and wholesomeness of perishable food products.

Bad Bugs

We are all concerned about the wholesomeness of the food that we handle and bring to retail markets. Although sanitation is an important aspect of keeping food safe, data shows that the overwhelming primary cause of food borne illness is improper maintenance of temperature in the shipment and storage of foods through retail sale and during consumer handling. The only appropriate temperature control in this setting is the temperature label.
Two primary concerns are the occurrence of Clostridium botulinum and other anerobic pathogens in reduced oxygen packed seafoods, and pathogenic strains of E. coli in ground meats and other susceptible foods. CheckPoint, Inc. has prepared labels that are effective controls for these challenges to our food distribution system:

More about our latest label for ROP seafood:

ROP Seafood SmartLabel™ PDF

For more information about label formulations that can protect products from E. coli growth in storage or transit:

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Solutions

CheckPoint

labels are used by meat, seafood and vegetable processors to monitor for temperature abuse during the distribution and storage of their products up to the point of retail sale. Suppliers and producers depend upon CheckPoint

for protection of brand integrity by assuring that only fresh products reach the consumer. Retailers rely on CheckPoint

to ensure proper treatment of materials from their suppliers.

CheckPoint has been proven to save retailers money in several different ways:

Improvement of perishables management by advance knowledge of product condition

Enforcement of temperature maintenance in the cold chain, resulting in fluid retention and weight-based value

Customer retention by assured improvements in perishable freshness

Assurance of food wholesomeness for airline meals (includes video presentations on the British Air system of flight labels).

Our programs can reshape your perishables strategy in ways that improve profits and satisfy the need for safety controls at the same time.

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The Science of TTI's

CheckPoint has been proven to conform to the known parameters of microbial growth on food, and thus can serve as an indicator of the condition of food products as related to the total microbial growth activity.
In fact, its the only temperature label with an firmly established "science base". Our sponsored studies at major universities range over a wide variety of minimally processed seafood and meats, prepared foods and other perishable products.

Federally recommended food safety programs specify the use of temperature labels like CheckPoint for use with seafood and ground beef. The usefulness of CheckPoint in food safety assurance is underscored by their specified use in HACCP programs.

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