If you use the kitchen for commercial purposes, then the meat slicer machine becomes very dirty. These meat slicers are used for various purposes and are used in cafes and small stalls. For food safety reasons, you need to think about how to clean a meat slicer.
How to clean a meat slicer: the need to clean the meat grinder
Before proceeding to the study of the question, of how to clean a meat slicer, you should decide on the main reasons for such actions. To many, it may seem that cleaning the meat grinder is an unnecessary job. However, this ensures food safety.
It is extremely important not only to clean meat slicer but also to constantly keep it clean. This ensures the meat slicer’s efficiency and prevents serious diseases of the digestive system.
Foodborne disease prevention
Just recently, in all places of public catering, they began to face the fact that customers complain of diseases of the digestive system after visiting.
That is why the authorities have actively engaged in checking all cafes and restaurants, and require that the knife removal tool must be kept clean.
All diseases, as it turned out, were caused by the fact that pollution accumulated in the meat slicers, which provoked the development of pathogens. Often, contaminated areas were in hard-to-reach places, making cleaning and disinfection difficult.
Yes, cleaning a meat slicer is a very difficult and lengthy process. You need to make a lot of effort to disassemble the meat slicer.
After public catering began to experience diseases of the digestive system, inspectors began to come suddenly for inspections. This guarantees the safety of each consumer’s health. If you clean the meat slicer on time and correctly, the inspectors leave a positive rating, and the institution does not close.
Even if you use the meat slicer only at home, it also needs to be cleaned. This is the key to your health.
Equipment efficiency
As you know, keeping equipment clean contributes to its proper operation. You can be sure that the meat grinder lasts a long time.
The main thing is to deal not only with cleaning but also with disinfection. This leads to the fact that there are practically no problems in the operation of the meat slicer.
If you don’t clean the meat grinder and leave it in a dirty state all night, then large food particles will accumulate on the walls. Once they harden, it makes the cleaning process more difficult. In this case, bacteria will begin to develop, which will block the correct operation.
When to start cleaning the meat slicer?
The meat slicer should be cleaned after each use. If you plan to grind vegetables or cheese after raw meat, you first need to clean the meat slicer. It is recommended to clean the meat slicer daily so that food particles do not get stuck on the blade and pathogenic bacteria do not develop.
The health organization advises cleaning at intervals of 4 hours. If you run your meat grinder all day, cleaning needs to be done even more frequently.
How to clean a meat slicer: cleaning preparation tips
It is recommended to wear protective gloves to protect your hands before cleaning the meat slicer. Choose options that are resistant to the sharpness of the blade. This prevents severe cuts. Therefore, you should have metal gloves that prevent cuts. You can find them in special stores.
Before starting work, it is recommended to read the instructions for the meat slicer.
In it, the manufacturer sets out tips on how to properly disassemble and clean the meat grinder. Do not use steel wool in work. After all, the steel wool can leave scratches on the device.
Do not completely submerge the meat slicer in water. The instructions clearly state which parts are suitable for washing in the dishwasher. Parts that are unsuitable for this also need some care. More about this is also described in the instructions for the meat slicer.
Meat slicer cleaning principle
Once you understand why you need to clean the meat slicer, it’s time to start the main stages of work. It should be noted that there are several cleaning options. You can choose between light cleaning and full cleaning. Both options work.
How to clean meat slicers easily?
This cleaning option is appropriate after each start-up of the meat slicer, or when changing products intended for grinding. Work should be carried out several times a day, depending on the frequency of use. If you use a meat grinder for more than 4 hours a day, then cleaning needs to be done 3-4 times.
The main purpose of light cleaning is to prevent the accumulation of particles of food and juice. However, it is not an alternative to deep cleaning and using meat slicer sanitizing spray.
The light cleaning process consists of several steps, namely:
- Disconnect the instrument from the power supply. The blades must be moved to the “zero” position.
- Remove large pieces of food with a towel or napkin.
- Dampen a clean cloth with a solution of cleaning agent and hot water, and wipe all major parts of the meat slicer. This applies to the carriage, food chute, blade, pusher, etc. Pay attention to small corners.
- Using a clean rag and hot water, rinse all areas, and air-dry the meat slicer naturally.
Once you do this, you can proceed to further use the meat slicer.
How to clean a meat slicer: deep cleaning principle
It is significant to clean the meat slicer completely from time to time. This prevents the accumulation of pathogenic bacteria. Work must be carried out every day when the shift ends. The cleaning process consists of several stages:
- Disassemble the meat slicer. First, it must be disconnected from the power source, and the blade must be turned to the “zero” position.
- Use a paper towel to remove large food particles.
- Remove the blade, product tray, pusher, and carriage. All elements must be placed into the sink, which is pre-filled with hot water and detergent. If you don’t have a blade remover, read the instructions to see how to do it.
- After all, washed parts need to be treated with a disinfectant. You can buy it, or make it yourself. To do this, mix 1 liter of cold water and 80 ml of 5% household bleach. The main thing is that it does not have a smell. Pour the product into a spray bottle for ease of processing.
Next, you need to start cleaning the main unit. The main blocks such as a handle, product tray, screws, seams, gasket, etc., need to be cleaned with a small brush. Often people do not clean a blade guard, so this is where a lot of bacteria accumulates.
The brush must be soaked in a cleaning solution based on hot water and detergent. A paper towel has to be placed between the blade and the blade guard for protection. This removes the leftovers. Use a clean towel to remove any detergent residue from the treated parts.
A disinfectant spray needs to be sprayed onto the surface. After that, all parts must be dried. Then you can start assembling the meat grinder.
Meat slicer blade maintenance
If you take proper care of your meat slicer, it lasts longer. Therefore, there are some universal meat slicer maintenance tips, namely:
- Clean the meat slicer blade and sharpen it. To do this, use a special grindstone for a meat grinder.
- Only a blade that has been previously cleaned can be sharpened. After that, it must be treated with a disinfectant.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
As you can see, there is nothing difficult in cleaning the meat grinder if proper maintenance is done correctly. You need to periodically check the meat slicer for damage as well as food residue. If you do everything right, the machine lasts longer and bacteria does not accumulate.
Frequency of cleaning and disinfection of the meat grinder
The Ministry of Health, guided by the FDA food code, is convinced that the cleaning and disinfection of the commercial meat slicer should be carried out every 4 hours if you use it constantly.
If you don’t follow this advice, food buildup hardens.
Because of this, it may be difficult to remove.
After each working day, you need to treat the surfaces and parts of the machine with a disinfectant to prevent the accumulation of bacteria.
Not all people can afford to do deep cleaning after every shift. After all, it takes a lot of time and effort. However, it is better not to be lazy, and to do everything right. This guarantees food safety.
If you are afraid of making a mistake while working, it is recommended to use the services of a trained specialist. He or she will quickly and efficiently clean everything, and the machine does not be damaged at the end of the work.
How to clean a meat slicer: meat grinder cleaning tips
Several tips should be followed while working. Avoid using abrasive cleaners and abrasive cleaning sponges. After all, they can leave scratches, where numerous bacteria penetrate.
As already mentioned, special metal gloves are required to remove the meat slicer blade and clean it. Wear gloves when handling food to prevent the spread of germs. Always fill the prepared dish sink with hot water and detergent beforehand.
It is necessary to remove other dishes from it.
You need to collect clean hot water for rinsing in a separate container. Prepare a spray to disinfect parts in advance. Lubricate certain parts with oil to keep the machine running efficiently. The meat slicer needs to be covered when you clean and air dry completely.
FAQ
When it comes to cleaning a meat grinder, many questions can be faced.
What should you use to clean a meat slicer?
To prepare the solution, you need a regular dishwashing detergent. This removes bacteria. If you want to remove 99.9%, then it is better to use a special disinfectant spray. This helps prevent food poisoning. To prepare the solution, you require unscented bleach and cold water.
How often should you clean a meat slicer?
The Ministry of Health advises cleaning and processing the meat grinder every 4 hours. The commercial meat slicer must first be disassembled to effectively clean all parts and hard-to-reach places.
Should you sanitize a meat slicer?
Yes, you have to clean and disinfect. This destroys the pathogenic bacteria that provoke diseases in the digestive system.
How do you remove the blade from a meat slicer?
To remove the meat slicer blade plate, in almost all meat slicers, there is a special key. They need to use it. If not, you can read the user manual of the device. The manufacturer specifies how the blade is removed.
Results
As you can see, cleaning the meat grinder is an important job. The main thing is to do everything correctly and on time.
