At both my past meat shops I've worked in, it wasn't uncommon for people to cut beef/pork/veal on a bench, and occasionally cut poultry on it. Before cutting poultry, we would scrape it down very throughly, but not necessarily wash and sanitize it in between. Then the same for when we were going back to beef. I know it's probably frowned upon, but is it a "felony offense" in the view of the health inspector? (Massachusetts)
Gross. Sometimes we split 75-chickens on the bandsaw, strictly against company policy but it's a 20-year old account with a local food eatting place, and so it is given the nod.
same up here in Canada, you should have seperate blocks for all species, most cutters do beef and pork on the same block but chicken is treated with care and no cross contamination is done by anyone that I have seen
Ideally, a market will have one block for beef, one for pork, and a separate stainless steel table for traying up poultry. This isn't always possible due to size constraints in some stores. If you have to do poultry on the same block as beef or pork, do it last in your work day.
Thanks guys - I knew that they should be separate but the guy who trained me was I guess less than sanitary when it came to that - he just had us scrape the bench well between meats and only go "through the motions" when the health inspector was around. Sad really - I'm kind of ashamed but I didn't know any better back then ... at least I can make sure my shop is sanitary now :)
If it's so important to use separate blocks for separate species, then why is it (seemingly) OK to cut different kinds of poultry on the same blocks? May you cut a goose on the same block that you cut chicken on? What about turkey? Pheasants?
May you cut organic beef on the same block as non organic? May you cut wild salmon on the same block where you cut farm raised trout?
In Denmark, it is prohibited to cut different kind of spices on the same table. Birds on one, Veal and beef on another, Lamb on one and Pork on one.
But I dont think every one is following the rule.
I cut Birds on one table. Lamb/beef/veal on another and pork by it self.
In Denmark, they are testing our grinded meat for Proteins of other spices.
So if I grind Pork.. And I grind lots of beef and throw it away..Then grind beef for sale, they can trace 1 drop of pork in it, because the protein is different... Lots of stores have had fines for it (we talk 0.01 gram of 500 gram). So many Supermarkets has separate grinders for Beef and Pork.
Im also sure, we have one of the most strict sets of rules in the world when it comes to food safety.
seperate blocks for each species is always a good idea and I have worked in stores that do that. However some stores are small like mine and there isn't enough room for seperate tables. I always had a problem with allowing beef or pork to touch chicken juice. and I prefer to keep beef off pork juice as much as possible. but I don't get all bothered about it and I don't see a problem with pork touching beef. I do however believe its a good idea to keep the tables clear of any heavy juices by scrapping it often even if you aren't mixing species because that just makes your meat and trays look messy if you don't. I don't think its really neccessary to santize every time you change from chicken to something else just scrape it and wash it down with a wet towel and that should be good . I don't think its a good idea to Sanitize til the end of the day when all cutting is done. You don't want to risk getting the taste of bleach on the meat.
Some people worry too much. Nothing is really perfectly clean just do your best.
Ive seen many store cut up deer and moose in a retail shop....I asked the state inspectors if it was legal, he said YES, but not advisable,,,,You need to wash rinse and sanitize everything, that came in contact with wild game,,also it has to be after store hrs. and they animal must be skun outside "If i see one deer hair in here, I will shut the store down"
Years ago, many customers would bring in bags of venison trimmings, and stores would grind it-some for free , some will charge
-- Edited by Mainemeatman on Wednesday 31st of October 2012 05:18:52 PM
...and of course, in a perfect world, all chickens would be exterminated and there would be mandatory sentencing for all people who don't buy red meat.
Oh yeah I forgot about wild game. thats another thing. In my opinion wild game hasn't been inspected and may have harmful diseases such as tuberosis. If your store does anything with wild game you better sanitize everything before switching back to domesticated meat. I grind vension for people all the time but not til the end the of the day when I know I won't be cutting anything else.
Mainemeatman wrote:
Ive seen many store cut up deer and moose in a retail shop....I asked the state inspectors if it was legal, he said YES, but not advisable,,,,You need to wash rinse and sanitize everything, that came in contact with wild game,,also it has to be after store hrs. and they animal must be skun outside "If i see one deer hair in here, I will shut the store down"
Years ago, many customers would bring in bags of venison trimmings, and stores would grind it-some for free , some will charge
-- Edited by Mainemeatman on Wednesday 31st of October 2012 05:18:52 PM
