What temperatures do infrared thermometers measure?

Infrared thermometers are designed to measure surface temperature. They work by detecting the thermal radiation emitted from an object’s surface, allowing for quick and non-contact temperature readings. This is particularly useful in food service, as it helps ensure food safety by allowing staff to quickly check the temperatures of food items without needing to penetrate the food, thereby avoiding cross-contamination.

Surface temperature readings are critical in many scenarios, such as ensuring that a food item's surface is sufficiently heated or cooled, which plays a significant role in maintaining food safety standards. Infrared thermometers can be used on surfaces like cooking equipment, food, and even surfaces in the kitchen environment to monitor for safety and quality.

Given this, while internal temperature is crucial for assessing food doneness, it cannot be accurately measured with infrared thermometers. Similarly, they do not measure the temperature of sauces in a manner that provides an accurate internal assessment, nor do they measure ambient temperature effectively. Hence, surface temperature is the right choice.