Cool changes for meat plant knife sterilisation
The risk to British Slaughterhouse and cutting plant workers of scalds from hot water used to disinfect knives, if proposals for using water at lower temperatures for longer periods of time get approval by a specialist committee of the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
Last week the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF), which offers risk assessment advice to the FSA, responded to a call from the British Meat Processing Association (BMPA) for it to support the use of such “equivalent” tool disinfection methods in the UK.
The BMPA approach followed research carried out in Australia, which showed that using water at 60°C - rather than a 82°C dip commonly used under EU food hygiene regulations - and two knives used alternatively to ensure longer immersion produced the same results.
The ACMSF called for more information to show what the 82°C “gold standard” actually achieved in terms of the reduction of pathogens such as E.coli and asked for better models showing the results of lower immersion temperatures and longer times. One member also raised the possibility that existing procedures might not be adequate in all cases. “How good is sterilisation practice at the moment?” asked Jenny Morris, a food safety policy officer at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. “My concern is if we went for a two-knife system, would it really happen and [what would be] the implications for food safety.”
While the ACMSF supported the idea of greater regulatory simplicity in this area, its members felt generic approvals were not appropriate and said equivalent procedures should be approved on a case-by-case approach. They were also against the use of chemical disinfectants as suggested in some research.
Meanwhile, trainee British butchers are being offered the opportunity to learn the craft of pork butchery at the Danish Meat Trade College (DMTC), based at Roskilde in Denmark. They are being invited to apply for places on two residential 10-week basic educational programmes, starting on January 8 and February 12 2007 respectively.
The courses are designed to give an essential grounding in the preparation of pork and are aimed at anyone looking to develop a career in the meat industry. The courses offer a mixture of practical training and theory and aim to give participants not only technical skills, but a wider commercial knowledge.
The practical side of the programme includes areas such as cutting and de-boning. The theory includes pig anatomy, welfare - including transportation and treatment - and slaughtering. Efficient production methods and regulation on areas such as hygiene, safety and the environment are also covered.
The course fees are fully subsided by the Danish Government as part of an EU initiative. The only costs are travel to Denmark and €100 a week for full board and lodging. Participants are required to take an examination at the end of the course, which will entitle them to a certificate supervised by the Danish Ministry of Education. This qualification can be added to a Europass, which is a record of time spent training in EU countries and is part of the Leonardo da Vinci European Community vocational training programme.
All courses are conducted in English and there are 20 places available on each. Prospective participants must be over 18. To apply, fill out the application form on the DMTC’s website.
