Hygiene Tips For Your Butcher’s Shop

Keeping a clean and hygienic butcher shop is important in order to prevent the spread of disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), meat should be handled and packed using good hygiene practices. These practices are designed to prevent adverse effects on the quality of the meat. However, it was observed that the general sanitary condition of the butcher shop was not up to the recommended standards.

A recent study in the UK found that some macelleria have fallen foul in this area. Some did not have wash hand basins and a few did not even have refrigerators for meat preservation. Other areas for failing included not using appropriate wrapping paper for packaging meat.

• Ensure the Meat is Always Fresh
• Always use a hygienic cutting board is a must-have in a butcher’s shop. You should also store your raw meats on lower shelves.
• It’s also important to keep your hands clean. Hand washing before cutting meat is the most effective way to avoid contamination. The best way to do this is to use clean water and soap. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends washing your hands for at least 20 seconds before handling food.
• You should also sanitize your knives and cutting boards after each use. This may mean disinfecting your meat-cutting utensils with a commercial sanitiser that is approved for use on food contact surfaces. If you can’t afford a commercial sanitiser, try wiping your butcher’s block with bleach and water. Then dry it off with a clean towel.
• You should also wear a pair of gloves while preparing your meat. Wearing gloves will help you avoid cuts from the knife. They are available in a variety of materials such as rubber, plastic and even mesh. Wearing gloves will also protect you from germs that may be present in raw meat.
• You might also want to consider hiring a professional cleaning service to sanitize your shop. It’s no secret that maintaining hygiene isn’t easy.

Those are just some of the main tips you need to take heed of if you want to ensure your butcher’s shop adheres to hygiene regulations. If it falls fail of any of these, you could lose your licensing and face sanctions. A butcher’s shop is not like any other business as what you sell can harm the public if it is not treated in a hygienic way.