Lessons from France in Cybersecurity and Food Safety: Protecting the systems that protect your food

On the night of 11 to 12 October 2026, an overnight cyberattack affected refrigeration systems in hundreds of French supermarkets. Fresh and frozen products had to be discarded after temperatures rose. The incident has highlighted concerns about outdated firmware and equipment that no longer received security updates. As the incident continues to be investigated, the practical consequences included disrupted stores, significant amounts of food waste, and financial losses.

The incident raises questions for every food business using connected technology. How well are we protecting the systems we depend on to keep food safe?

A fridge can look perfectly normal from the outside while the food inside is becoming unsafe. In a connected food business, the cause could be a mechanical fault, a power failure or something less visible like a cyberattack on the system controlling refrigeration.

The digitalisation of food safety management

Managers of food businesses are responsible for a mix of refrigeration units, storage areas, deliveries, hygiene checks, records and regulatory responsibilities (as well as delivering service to customers and managing teams). Much of this work continues around the clock, even when the premises are closed and staff have gone home.

Connected equipment, digital records and temperature monitoring can improve visibility and reduce reliance on someone being physically present to spot a problem. For businesses operating across several locations, these tools can make essential information easier to access and act on.

However, connectivity can also create extra work and responsibilities. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre warns that increasingly connected operational technology brings security risks alongside benefits such as remote monitoring and maintenance. A cyber incident affecting physical equipment can have consequences beyond the loss of data.

For food business managers, cybersecurity adds a layer of responsibility about operational continuity and food safety, alongside equipment maintenance and staff training.

The role of technology

The French incident provides businesses with a timely reminder to check the technology behind their refrigeration. A unit may keep food cold today while outdated software leaves its controls vulnerable to interference tomorrow.

Start by identifying your connected equipment, its software or firmware version and its support status. Firmware is the software embedded in equipment such as refrigeration controllers. Ask your supplier which systems still receive security updates, and which need an upgrade or replacement.

Make updates part of planned maintenance. Agree who tracks security notices, who installs updates and who checks that the equipment operates correctly afterwards. Work with qualified technicians to schedule and test changes without compromising refrigeration.

If a supplier no longer supports a controller, establish a replacement plan and ask your technical team how to reduce its exposure in the meantime. Do not assume that a functioning fridge has a secure control system.

Control who can access connected equipment

Remote access helps suppliers diagnose faults and maintain equipment, but businesses need to retain control over who can access their equipment.

Change default passwords, give each authorised user an individual account where supported, and restrict permissions to the tasks they need to perform. Protect remote access with multi-factor authentication and remove access when a staff member or contractor no longer needs it.

Ask your IT provider to separate refrigeration controls from guest Wi-Fi and other networks appropriately. Suppliers should use a secure, controlled route for remote support.

These steps reflect National Cyber Security Centre guidance on protecting operational technology. They reduce opportunities for unauthorised access and help limit the consequences if another part of the business’s network suffers an attack.

Choose suppliers who take security seriously

Reliable technology needs reliable support throughout its working life. Ask suppliers to explain their security arrangements in clear terms before you purchase a system, and review those arrangements regularly.

How long will they provide security updates? How quickly will they notify you about a vulnerability or service disruption? Who handles urgent issues outside office hours? What happens when equipment reaches the end of its supported life?

Request clear responsibilities and contact details. Make sure you have a nominated person responsible for coordinating security updates.

Automated alerts allow for faster reactions

Prevention reduces risk. Automated monitoring helps businesses act when a problem still occurs, whether a cyberattack, equipment fault or power failure causes it.

Configure your monitoring system to send notifications as soon as it detects a condition that meets the agreed alert criteria. Those notifications need to reach the responsible people at any hour, including overnight, at weekends and during holidays.

Use suitable channels, such as push notifications, email or voice calls, according to the system’s capabilities and the urgency of the issue.

Set alert thresholds around your food safety procedures. Check how frequently the system measures temperatures and how quickly it delivers notifications. An immediate notification after detection still depends on those settings and a working communication route.

Where supported, enable alerts for missing readings, lost connections and device faults too. A monitoring system that stops reporting needs attention, even if it has not recorded a temperature breach.

Make sure alerts reach someone who can act

An alert at 2am only helps if someone receives it and takes responsibility.

Create an out-of-hours contact rota, assign a backup and set an escalation process for unacknowledged alerts. Keep phone numbers and app settings current. Test the notification route and response arrangements regularly, including outside normal working hours.

Give staff a clear action plan. Identify who can access the premises, contact an engineer and authorise stock movement. Arrange alternative refrigerated storage in advance and confirm that it offers suitable conditions and enough capacity.

Early notification may give a team time to move products before conditions deteriorate further. If stock has already become unsafe, it can still help managers restrict sales, arrange disposal and bring in cleaning teams before customers arrive.

Reducing the impact of fridge failures

Temperature monitoring detects changes in storage conditions; it does not necessarily identify their cause. Businesses still need cybersecurity controls to protect equipment and investigate suspicious activity.

For businesses holding substantial chilled or frozen stock, an incident could put tens of thousands of euro worth of food at risk. Disposal, repairs, cleaning and interrupted trading can add to the cost.

The lesson from France highlights the importance of maintaining supported technology, controlling access and establishing clear communications with suppliers. Make sure that your food safety plan continues after closing time, and not just during business hours.

For advice on automated temperature monitoring and 24-hour, real-time temperature alerts, contact Kelsius.

 

Sources

  • BBC News, 13 October: Fridges in French supermarkets hit by cyber attack https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crq5nzxv9q4yo
  • National Cyber Security Centre: Secure connectivity principles for operational technology. https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/operational-technology/secure-connectivity/introduction
  • NCSC: Principle 5, Harden your OT boundary. https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/operational-technology/secure-connectivity/principle-5
  • NCSC: Principle 7, Ensure all connectivity is logged and monitored. https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/operational-technology/secure-connectivity/principle-7
  • Food Safety Authority of Ireland: Principles of HACCP. https://www.fsai.ie/business-advice/running-a-food-business/food-safety-management-system-%28haccp%29/principles-of-haccp

Kelsius achieves INAB accreditation for laboratory calibration

ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation demonstrates Kelsius’ technical competence and commitment to accurate, reliable calibration services

Donegal, Ireland, 07 September 2026 – Kelsius is proud to announce that it has achieved accreditation for Temperature Calibration within the scope of -35°C to +50°C from the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) to ISO/IEC 17025, the internationally recognised standard for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.

The accreditation follows an independent assessment of Kelsius’ calibration services in relation to technical competence, calibration procedures, quality management system, equipment, measurement traceability and ability to deliver reliable calibration results within its accredited scope.

This significant achievement provides Kelsius customers with additional confidence that applicable calibration work is carried out by technically competent personnel using controlled procedures and appropriately maintained equipment.

“Achieving INAB accreditation is an important milestone for Kelsius and reflects the expertise, commitment and attention to detail of our team,” said Sabrina Finnegan, Operations Manager at Kelsius.

ISO/IEC 17025 is the international standard used to assess the competence, impartiality and consistent operation of testing and calibration laboratories. INAB is Ireland’s national body responsible for accrediting laboratories and other conformity assessment bodies.

The accreditation further strengthens the quality and technical capabilities supporting Kelsius’ range of temperature monitoring and digital compliance solutions across the food, life sciences and healthcare sectors.

It forms part of the company’s continued investment in quality, technical expertise and reliable customer support.

To learn more about Kelsius products and calibration services, contact the Kelsius team.

Pictured L-R: Rosemary Hayden (INAB) presenting to the Kelsius team Donal McGee, Sabrina Finnegan & Lorraine McClafferty.

 

 

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Davy Byrnes simplifies food safety compliance, saves staff time and makes safety checks easier

Davy Byrnes is one of Dublin’s most recognised pubs, known for its literary heritage, distinctive character and reputation for quality food and hospitality. With a busy kitchen, multiple staff members and several cold-storage units, its food safety procedures must be efficient, reliable and easy to follow.

 

 

Before introducing Kelsius FoodCheck 2.0, the team relied on paper records to document food temperatures and daily HACCP checks. This required considerable staff time, created additional administration and made it more difficult for management to review completed checks.

With the implementation of FoodCheck 2.0, sensors now automatically monitor temperatures across multiple refrigeration and freezer units. Kitchen staff use connected digital probes to record cooked-food temperatures quickly during normal service.

The system has reduced paperwork and repetitive manual checks, while giving staff more time to focus on core kitchen duties. Straightforward digital processes are easy to learn and use across different shifts and experience levels.

Temperature records, completed checks and reports are stored digitally in one place. This gives Davy Byrnes management clearer oversight of food safety activity and allows reliable records to be accessed quickly for audits, internal reviews and Environmental Health Officer (EHO) inspections.

By improving consistency, accountability and access to information, FoodCheck 2.0 gives Davy Byrnes greater confidence that essential food safety checks are completed and that reliable evidence is available when required.

 

 

To start improving your compliance and efficiencies, contact Kelsius today.

Hours saved daily, instant traceability – just some of the benefits The Beaumont Mayfair enjoys using Kelsius

Operating at five-star standards leaves no room for compromise, especially when it comes to food safety. At The Beaumont Mayfair, a luxury London hotel with multiple kitchens, dining areas, and service environments, maintaining compliance across departments was becoming increasingly complex.

The Challenge

Before introducing Kelsius FoodCheck 2.0, the team relied heavily on paper-based processes. This created unnecessary administration, limited real-time visibility, and introduced risk around record accuracy, particularly during busy service periods. In an environment where rapid access to accurate data is critical, this approach left gaps in traceability and audit readiness.

 

 

Following implementation of the Kelsius system, the impact was immediate.

Digital workflows replaced manual checks, allowing kitchen teams to complete tasks quickly and consistently using probes and tablets. Management gained instant oversight across more than 20 refrigeration units, with automated monitoring and alerts helping prevent stock loss and reduce risk. Reporting, once time-consuming, is now accessible in seconds, supporting daily operations and audit preparation.

Hours saved daily, instant traceability

The hotel estimates a time saving of two to three hours per day, driven by faster checks, automated monitoring, and streamlined reporting. Beyond efficiency, the shift to tamper-proof digital records has strengthened due diligence and eliminated the risk of falsified entries.

Crucially, the system provides instant traceability across all operations, from goods-in to cooking compliance, while remaining flexible enough to match the hotel’s HACCP requirements.

Today, Kelsius is embedded across the Beaumont’s kitchens, pastry, private dining, and bar operations. The result is a more controlled, consistent, and confident approach to food safety, one that meets the expectations of a five-star environment while freeing up valuable time for staff to focus on service.

 

 

To book your free Kelsius demo, contact the Kelsius sales team.

 

Dubai-based FITT Meals trusts Kelsius to protect their food and their business

Meal prep company FITT Meals is responsible for creating, preparing and delivering hundreds of thousands of meals in the UAE. They use Kelsius systems throughout their production processes to protect their food and their business.

Established in 2019, the FITT Meals business was started by Founded and CEO Eoin Cantwell. The aim of the company is to help health-conscious customers with busy lifestyles to save time but not sacrifice nutrition when it comes to mealtimes. FITT Meals shops, prepares, cooks, chills and delivers delicious and nutritionally balanced meals direct to over 500,000 customers throughout the UAE.

 

With affordable meal plans that provide maximum nutritional value and food quality, FITT Meals needed a temperature monitoring system that removed the need for paperwork and automated monitoring for improved efficiencies. As a company that strives to innovate and to be the best at what it does, they chose Kelsius to give them the confidence that they had an automated temperature monitoring system in place that they could rely on.

FITT Meals has recently opened a new warehouse and purpose-built facility to cater for their growing demand. With a now significantly larger operation, FITT Meals trusts Kelsius to monitor all the fresh food that passes through every stage of the production process including delivery, storage and food preparation.

Founder and CEO of FITT Meals, Eoin Cantwell said, “Moving into our new facility, there always needs to be investments upfront. One of the smartest ones we’ve made is with Kelsius, which literally ensures our food safety and ensures that our temperatures are all on check. It’s all done remotely, and everything is absolutely guaranteed for us. It’s a huge comfort knowing that we have a company like Kelsius behind us, keeping our compliance and our products up to date.”

Watch the video to learn more about how FITT Meals management trusts Kelsius.

To book your free Kelsius demo, contact the Kelsius sales team.

Podcast – Inside the Cold Chain: How Real-Time Data is Securing Pharmaceuticals in Transit

What happens when a fridge fails mid-transit? In pharma, it could mean losing thousands in stock or worse, risking patient safety.

In this episode, we dive into how CoolTrak365 by Kelsius is helping life sciences, laboratories, and wholesale pharma providers protect their cold chain. With real-time alerts, GPS tracking, and tamperproof audit trails, CoolTrak365 offers full end-to-end visibility for sensitive medical shipments from the factory to the pharmacy.

Listen to the episode now here.

 

Ardingly College uses FoodCheck 2.0 from Kelsius: “…alerts help protect us from costly stock losses…it gives us real peace of mind…”

Ardingly College is a leading independent school in West Sussex, providing education and pastoral care for a large pupil community. The College operates a high-volume catering operation delivering daily meals for pupils alongside front-of-house hospitality for events, summer programmes, and visitors. Food safety, due diligence, and consistency are central to the catering team’s responsibilities.

The Challenge

Food safety management at Ardingly College previously relied on paper-based HACCP systems. This created a significant administrative burden, with multiple folders and binders requiring constant updating.

Paperwork frequently became damaged or incomplete in kitchen environments, and missing sheets caused frustration during inspections. Paper processes also created risk around record integrity during busy service periods, with limited assurance that checks were completed correctly and at the right time.

In addition, refrigeration failures during weekends or holiday closures had previously resulted in significant stock losses before issues were identified. The College required a more reliable, audit-ready system that reduced risk, saved time, and strengthened due diligence.

The Solution

Ardingly College looked to Kelsius’ FoodCheck 2.0 solution to reduce the administrative workload and paperwork, improve compliance and inspective preparation, and reduce time spent on food safety procedures and manual checks.

Results

Results achieved using FoodCheck 2.0 included:

  • Around two hours saved per day.
  • Paper records eliminated.
  • Reduced reliance on manual checks with 24/7 automated fridge and freezer monitoring.
  • Stock loss prevented thanks to early alerts.
  • Weekly compliance reporting consolidated into a single digital summary.
  • Improved EHO confidence.

Kelsius has become a core part of daily operations at Ardingly College, delivering stronger audit readiness, improved accountability, reduced waste risk, and greater confidence that food safety standards are being upheld consistently across the catering operation.

 

 

Podcast – The Deep Dive: Food Safety Reimagined

Welcome to The Deep Dive, where we explore the technologies transforming commercial kitchens from paperwork chaos to digital confidence.

In this episode, we unpack the revolution happening behind kitchen doors – the shift from stacks of paper logs to automated, verified compliance. We’re diving deep into Kelsius’s FoodCheckToGo, an automated digital HACCP system that’s changing how restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and retail food businesses manage food safety.

Discover how Bluetooth-enabled temperature probes, cloud-based documentation, and real-time alerts are eliminating pencil-whipping, saving 30+ hours per week, and turning audit anxiety into audit confidence. From preventing thousands in stock losses to impressing environmental health officers, this is the story of how technology is protecting both businesses and consumers – one verified temperature reading at a time.

Perfect for: Kitchen managers, food business owners, operations directors, compliance officers, and anyone interested in foodtech innovation.

Listen to the episode here.

 

The Importance of Temperature Monitoring in Healthcare Settings

Maintaining precise and reliable temperature control is a fundamental requirement across modern healthcare. From storing vaccines and reagents to managing sterile instruments and monitoring laboratory environments, temperature stability plays a direct role in patient safety, diagnostic accuracy, and regulatory compliance. As clinical environments become more complex and the demands on healthcare professionals continue to grow, automated temperature monitoring has emerged as a critical tool that supports quality care while reducing risk.

Why Temperature Monitoring Matters

Every healthcare specialty has unique temperature-sensitive assets. In endoscopy and decontamination areas, the integrity of reprocessed instruments depends on controlled storage conditions. In dentistry or podiatry clinics, disinfectants, impression materials, and medications must be maintained within safe ranges. Laboratories require stable temperatures for reagents, incubators, and specimen storage, while nursing teams rely on medication fridges and controlled drugs cabinets that must remain continuously compliant.

Any deviation whether caused by equipment failure, power outages, door-ajar incidents, or environmental fluctuation can compromise both safety and compliance. Manual checks, still common in many settings, cannot provide the continuous oversight required to detect early excursions or prevent avoidable wastage.

Automated monitoring helps close this gap. It provides healthcare teams with 24/7 visibility over critical environments, reduces the burden of manual documentation, and ensures that clinical decisions are supported by accurate, audit-ready data.

A Trusted Innovator in Healthcare Monitoring

Providers such as Kelsius provide wireless temperature monitoring and digital task management, all in one system. Kelsius’ solutions are widely deployed across hospitals, laboratories, pharmacies, and specialist clinical units in over 50 countries. The company’s R&D-driven approach, combined with a strong focus on compliance and sustainability, has made it a trusted partner for organisations seeking dependable monitoring systems.

Accreditations such as ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015, alongside adherence to ISO 27001 information security requirements and FDA 21 CFR Part 11, signal a commitment to quality and robust data governance.

The Kelsius system – CoolCheck – is relied upon by healthcare organisations that demand stringent oversight and evidence-based traceability. Institutions such as Abbott Labs, Baxter, Roche Diagnostics, Eurofins, HSE Ireland, and multiple NHS Trusts use Kelsius monitoring to protect samples, medicines, and sterile supplies. Their applications range from GMP storage and aseptic units to large-scale warehouse monitoring and multi-site pharmacy operations.

Automated Monitoring Through CoolCheck

CoolCheck is designed to support the controlled environments found across healthcare. Its flexibility allows it to serve multiple sectors, from endoscopy to IPC and lab sciences. Wireless sensors placed in fridges, freezers, incubators, cryogenic tanks, or cleanroom spaces transmit data securely to the cloud, giving clinicians immediate access to real-time and historical information.

Instant alerts notify teams when thresholds are breached, ensuring rapid intervention and reducing the risk of sample loss or equipment downtime. All measurements and corrective actions are stored in a comprehensive audit trail, which simplifies inspections and reduces administrative workload. For teams managing diverse clinical processes, the system offers optional humidity, O₂, CO₂, or door-ajar monitoring, as well as the ability to support in-house mapping for specialised or high-risk areas.

How Automated Monitoring Supports Healthcare Teams

  1. Patient Safety and Infection Control
    Proper temperature maintenance is essential to prevent bacterial growth, preserve sterility, and maintain material integrity. Automated systems help protect patients by ensuring that devices, medications, and biological materials remain within certified ranges.
  2. Audit Readiness and Regulatory Assurance
    Healthcare environments face rigorous audits and local governance frameworks. Automated logs ensure that documentation is accurate, complete, and always ready for inspection.
  3. Efficiency and Workforce Productivity
    Manual checks can consume valuable clinical time. Automated monitoring reduces administrative burdens and frees staff to focus on patient care and laboratory accuracy.
  4. Incident Investigation and Traceability
    Access to historical temperature trends allows teams to quickly trace root causes following equipment failures, ensuring informed decision-making and improved risk mitigation.
  5. Scalable Monitoring Across Sites
    Whether overseeing a single fridge or managing multiple departments, sensors are easy to deploy and system dashboards offer remote visibility across locations.
  6. Minimising Waste and Supporting Sustainability
    Reducing the loss of high-value reagents, vaccines, or sterile stock helps protect budgets and reduce environmental impact. Automated monitoring also eliminates paper-based record keeping.
  7. Building Resilience and Reducing Risk
    Early detection of temperature deviations enables proactive response. This reduces the likelihood of compromised stock, service disruption, or cancelled procedures.

Supporting Modern Clinical Practice

In fast-paced healthcare environments, temperature monitoring is an essential safeguard. Automated systems help professionals uphold the highest standards of safety, compliance, and operational efficiency. As healthcare continues to advance, the ability to maintain controlled environments reliably will remain a cornerstone of quality care.

 

 

For more information visit www.kelsius.com.

Eastern Education Group Transforms Food Safety Across Seven Schools

Managing food safety across multiple school sites is no small task – especially when each kitchen serves pupils with special educational needs, where safety, consistency, and compliance are paramount.

For Eastern Education Group, which operates seven schools across Suffolk and Norfolk, paper-based food safety records were slowing things down. Staff spent valuable time completing manual checks, and managers were driving between schools just to collect paperwork. Weekly audits were time-consuming, and paper records left room for human error or even falsification.

Moving from Paper to Digital Confidence

In 2023, EEG SEND introduced the Kelsius FoodCheck 2.0 digital food safety system across its in-house catering kitchens. The rollout was carefully planned around school schedules, allowing staff to learn the system with minimal disruption. Training was simple and quick – most users preferred it to the old paper methods within days.

Today, audits that once took hours are done remotely in minutes. Management receive automated weekly reports, saving around three to four hours per week, while school catering teams save 30-40 minutes a day on checks.

Measurable Results

  • Instant oversight across multiple schools
  • Paper falsification eliminated – all records timestamped
  • £300–£400 in stock saved through early freezer alerts
  • EHOs impressed by transparency and ease of digital audits
  • Sustainability gains through reduced paper and ink use

Protecting Pupils and Preventing Waste

For SEND pupils, safeguarding extends to every part of the day including mealtimes. Accurate, digital food safety records give EEG SEND leadership confidence that standards are upheld across every kitchen, every day. When equipment fails, automatic alerts prevent costly food waste and protect supply continuity.

SEND Catering Manager Sarah Stannard commented, “It’s more trustworthy because the information can’t be falsified, it must be done on the day. I can now audit weekly without travelling between sites, saving hours each week. We’ve even saved hundreds of pounds in stock when freezers failed, thanks to instant alerts. I wouldn’t go back to paper.”

A Smarter, Safer, More Sustainable Future

Kelsius FoodCheck 2.0 has become integral to EEG SEND’s catering operations – helping staff work smarter, protecting pupils, and giving managers complete peace of mind.

By going digital, EEG SEND has improved efficiency, compliance, and sustainability – proving that technology and care can go hand in hand in education catering.