Some of the most important equipment at a butcher’s shop includes his knives, cutting boards and butcher’s block. It is extremely important to ensure all the equipment is clean and bacteria-free. Especially, in the post corona world, people are becoming more and more conscious about buying meat from places where safety and cleanliness is prioritized. A small number of bacteria can multiply quickly in a favourable environment and cause irreparable damage to the meat, which renders it useless. Worse, it can rot meat and cause an illness in people who consume it.

Various techniques can be used to safeguard butcher equipment from bacteria.

Use a knife steriliser

A knife sterilizer is one of the easier ways to clean the vast number of knives you have. It is ideal to sanitize all your knives and even the knife sharpening tools. It works by pumping hot water throughout the system and instantly killing any bacteria lingering on your butchering equipment. The system does not cause any harm to quality of the blades of knives and can be used innumerable times. It serves as a quick hack to an efficient hygiene system in your shop.

Knife Sharpening Tools

It is recommended that you sharpen your knives whenever they start to get blunt to keep their blades up to the mark. But steel sharpeners help by not only sharpening your knives but also getting rid of the bacteria sitting on your knife’s blade. These knife sharpeners can sharpen off the bacteria and eliminate them. Alternatively, a knife sharpening stone can also be used for the same purpose. But over sharpening the blade can lead to weakening of the blade and hence must be avoided.

Clean the Butcher Blocks

Butcher blocks are the most frequently used at a butcher’s shop. Hence keeping them sanitized and cleaned is of paramount importance. It cannot be washed in a dishwasher or in the sink. It has to be cleaned manually by hands. No matter how clean and sparkling your knives are, unless the block is well sanitized, the danger of bacterial contamination is not eliminated. Washing butcher’s blocks with soap helps clean the block and washes away any pieces of meat stuck on it.

Clean the Butcher Boards

Most butchers use a wooden or plastic board. These surfaces can contain bacteria and transfer it to the meat easily which allows them to survive and spread. It is important to clean these boards with  a solution containing a bit of bleach and warm water. Spray this solution on the board and wipe it down with a towel. You can also use a variety of colour coded chopping boards to avoid cross contamination.

Besides keeping all the equipment sparking clean, the storage spaces of meat as well as equipment should also be cleaned on a weekly basis. Any surfaces or spaces exposed to food items should be well maintained and cleaned regularly. A disinfectant is remarkably helpful in fighting against bacteria.  A small quantity of any alcohol-based solution on a cleaning wipe works well too. Hiring a professional cleaner to disinfect the entire premises is also a good idea. Remember that safety of your customers is your first priority. To ensure their safety, following the recommended safety guidelines is essential.