Food safety, self-inspection and animal welfare

Food safety is not up for discussion in the butcher trade. Incorrectly handled meat can make people seriously ill, and therefore a whole system of rules, controls and documentation has been built around the work. As a butcher, you are an important part of that system.

§Quality control and HACCP thinking.

Workplaces with food must have a self-control system where you identify the places in production where something can go wrong and monitor them. The thinking is called HACCP and it is about preventing problems rather than finding them afterwards. You learn to measure and record temperatures and how to act if something deviates.

§The cold chain

Meat must be kept cold from the time the animal is slaughtered until the customer takes it home. If the cold chain is broken, bacteria get a chance to grow. Therefore you work quickly, keep cold room doors closed and check the temperature. Broken cold chains are one of the most common causes of spoiled meat.

• 01Keep clean and dirty zones separate.
• 02Measure and note temperatures as a fixed routine.
• 03Use clean work clothes and wash hands frequently.
• 04Mark and date-stamp so goods can be traced.

§Traceability

You must be able to trace the meat back to its origin. If there is any suspicion of an error, traceability makes it possible to recall precisely the affected goods. Therefore, correct labeling and documentation are part of your daily work.

§Animal welfare.

Consideration for the animals permeates the trade. Animals must be handled calmly and gently, and the slaughter itself must happen so the animal does not suffer. Good animal welfare is both an ethical and professional requirement, and it also affects the quality of the meat — stressed animals give poor meat.