Keeping Your Commercial Kitchen Meat Slicer Clean
At restaurants that serve deli meats, the meat slicer is an essential piece of commercial kitchen equipment. A recent study, however, shows that at least fifty percent of slicers are not cleaned as often as FDA guidelines require (check your state's health department for specifics in your area). These guidelines state that slicers should be cleaned and sanitized every four hours. Cleaning your slicer is not difficult, but it can be dangerous. With this in mind, it is absolutely vital that you take your time and clean the slicer carefully. Below, we’ve outlined a few key tips to keep in mind when it comes to cleaning your commercial kitchen’s meat slicer.
- Safety First
Commercial kitchen meat slicers are dangerous pieces of machinery. In fact, they’re among the most common causes of serious workplace injuries in commercial kitchens. So, it is very important to follow proper safety precautions when cleaning your slicer. This means wearing a cut-resistant glove between two layers of food-handling gloves on the hand which will come into contact with the blade. On your other hand, a food-handling glove will work. You’ll also need to be sure to unplug or lock out your machine so that it is completely disabled. Then, when you begin cleaning, you’ll need to take your time to avoid an accident.
- Clean Every Inch
When cleaning your commercial meat slicer, you’ll need to start by wiping away large food particles with a paper towel, cloth, or gentle scrub pad. Then, you’ll disassemble the machine and wash, rinse, and sanitize the parts in your three-compartment sink. While these parts air dry, use a small brush to scrub every inch of the machine, including seams, handles, knobs, and screws. If the blade can be removed, carefully wash it in the three-compartment sink with the other removable parts, if not, carefully use a rag to wash the blade, moving from the center outward.
- Set a Schedule
In the everyday rush of a commercial kitchen, it can be easy to forget some tasks. It is absolutely vital, however, that you clean your meat slicer every four hours. This is suggested by the FDA and also an important part of your responsibility to protect your customers from food borne illness. By establishing a strict slicer cleaning schedule and holding yourself and your employees to it, you can be sure that your slicer is always clean and food safe.
We hope these tips will help you to safely clean your commercial kitchen meat slicer. When it comes time to get a new part or to have the machine serviced, be sure to contact CPS.
