How should the temperature of a shipment of cottage cheese be taken when it arrives at an operation?

The correct approach to checking the temperature of a shipment of cottage cheese is to place the thermometer stem into an opened container. This method ensures that the thermometer is measuring the actual temperature of the product itself, which is critical in assessing whether it has been maintained at a safe temperature during transit.

When checking the temperature of perishable items like cottage cheese, it's essential to get an accurate reading of the food product rather than the surrounding packaging or air, which may not reflect the true temperature of the food. By inserting the thermometer directly into the opened container, you can obtain an immediate and precise temperature that indicates if the cottage cheese is stored within safe temperature ranges, thereby helping to prevent foodborne illness.

Other methods, such as inserting the thermometer into the packaging or checking the temperature of the outer packaging, do not provide a reliable indication of the product's temperature and may lead to inaccurate assessments. Checking the surrounding air is likewise not effective since air temperature can vary significantly from the temperature of the food itself.