Sanitation and HandlingPractices for Fresh MeatProcessing and Retailing

Effective sanitation has a tremendous impacton the profit picture of meat processors andretailers by reducing spoilage and providing

a longer shelf life. Studies have shown that a shelflife of one week is possible with proper sanitationand temperatures that will hold meat below 32˚Fafter packaging. Proper sanitation also helps main-tain meat color, which leads to more sales andreduced labor costs. Good sanitation will provide a healthy, clean environment, which upgrades theimage and reputation of the store.

The color of freshly cut meat is purplish-red.After it is cut, meat “blooms” by absorbing oxygenfrom the air, turning bright red. Continued exposureto air causes the meat to turn brownish-red or grayish-red. The length of time between the initial“blooming” and discoloration depends on severalfactors. Two of these factors, the presence of oxygenfrom the air and dehydration or loss of water fromthe surface, are controlled by proper packagingmaterials. Fresh meat packaging films, when prop-erly used, permit oxygen to enter the package andact as a barrier to moisture loss. Two other factors,temperature and microbes, must be controlled bypractices and operations in the retail market.

The most important cause of discoloration isthe action of microbes (bacteria, molds, andyeasts) growing on the cut surface. Muscle, fat,and bone in a living animal are practically free ofmicrobes. It is during the slaughtering, handling,cutting, and packaging that the meat becomes contaminated. Many of the microbes of concern in meat processing grow at refrigeration tempera-tures. They cause spoilage but generally are notthe cause of sickness. Although bacteria, molds,and yeasts may be found on meat, bacteria are themore common because they grow faster on moistmeat surfaces.

Temperature has a marked effect on the growthof all microbes. The generation time (time to doublein numbers) of microbes commonly found on meatis around 6 hours at 40˚F but 20 hours at 32˚F. Anincrease in temperature of 8˚F will permit the organ-isms to grow three times faster! This means thatsteaks beginning with 100 microbes per square inchwould have around 800 microbes per square inch ifdisplayed for 21⁄2 days at 32˚F as compared with51,200 if displayed at 40˚F.

Bacterial numbers are directly related to therate of discoloration of prepackaged fresh meat. Ashelf life of one week is possible with proper sani-tation plus temperatures that will hold the meatbelow 32˚F after packaging.

Receiving Fresh Meat ProductsMeat received in the retail store from the

packer has been through considerable handling.This handling, coupled with the time lapsebetween slaughter and receiving may contribute tovarying amounts of surface contamination. Fre-quently, wholesale beef cuts are more contami-nated than quarters because they have been han-dled more. Contamination may easily be passed

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ANR-380

A L A B A M A A & M A N D A U B U R N U N I V E R S I T I E S

Caution: Improper handling (no gloves; no hairnet) causes spoilage!

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from the surface of the wholesale cuts to theunscraped retail cut surface during cutting. There-fore, pretrimming prior to cutting will reduce thelevel of contamination. Also, any bloody ends ordiscolored meat should be trimmed off as soon aspossible to prevent further spoilage. Meat should beremoved from the delivery vehicle as quickly aspossible. The optimum temperature for the receiv-ing area is 30˚ to 32˚F. Rail meat should be hungon clean hooks, stored at 30˚F, and spaced so thatair circulates freely around it.

If the processing room is not refrigerated, as muchwork as possible should be done in the cooler. Cutssuch as flanks, kidneys, necks, skirts, and other partsof the carcass that frequently have a high level ofcontamination should be removed first and processedquickly. Avoid cross contamination by working onlyone type of commodity at a time. Trimmings shouldbe processed as they accumulate and not held foran extended period of time.

Processing and WrappingThe processing and wrapping area should be

maintained below 55˚F. At higher temperatures bac-teria will multiply extremely fast on retail cuts andprocessing equipment. Products must be quicklyprocessed, packaged, and placed in refrigerateddisplay cases. Work loads should be evenly dis-tributed between cutters and wrappers so packagesdo not accumulate on the wrapping line for longerthan 20 minutes.

Display CasesDisplay cases should be maintained at 29˚ to

32˚F, and the internal temperature of the productshould be as close to 32˚ as possible. If displaycases are overloaded, the temperatures may reach50˚F. Also, overloading may cause products on thebottom to freeze.

When using single-deck cases, the shelf shouldbe adjusted so that products are within the refrig-erated area. Items should not be stacked morethan three high. On high volume days the caseshould be frequently restocked rather than over-loaded. With the newly designed multi-deck casesthe height to which a product can be stacked islimited to the space available between shelves.

Defrosting should be done when the store isclosed. This will depend on the hours the store isopen, the efficiency of the equipment in use, and

the temperature of the store. If the sales area isaround 72˚F, it may be necessary to have threedefrost cycles.

Because of placement of thermometers in retailcases (usually in the back of the case) the tempera-ture recorded may not apply to the entire case. Therefore, check the products regularly. Flowingjuices are a positive sign that the temperature is too high.

A Guide for Meat Product Handling• Move meat rapidly from truck to cooler.

• Avoid stacking and overloading in coolerspace. Generally, 31⁄2 square feet of cooler spaceper foot of linear display space is recommended.

• Remove fresh meats from boxes and placeon cooler storage racks so that cold air can circu-late around them.

• Plan your work so that the meat remains inthe cutting room for a minimum of time. Use 20minutes or less as a goal.

• Except during entry and exit, keep coolerdoor closed tightly.

• Move meat products from cooler to displaycase as rapidly as possible.

• Cover display cases at night.

• Remove all meats from display case andhold in cooler if store is closed over weekends.

• Check temperatures at least twice daily forproper levels and install two recording thermome-ters if possible.

• Set defrost cycles for times when the store isnot open for business.

• Avoid frost build-up on equipment and keepall cold air passages free from obstructions.

• Do not permit meat to sit in the cutting roomduring the employees’ breaks and lunch periods.

• Do not stack prepackaged meat immediatelyafter packaging—heat sealing process will raise thetemperature of the meat and hasten discoloration.

• Never stack meat or primal cuts in push cartsfor storing in the cooler.

• Do not reduce air flow by overloading meathooks or hanging meat so that it rests against thewall of the cooler.

• Never display canned hams above the chillline of cases or stack them in the aisles where thereis no refrigeration.

2 Alabama Cooperative Extension System

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Sanitation of Food Handling Facilities and Equipment in Stores

Cleaning and sanitizing of all food processingequipment and facilities is essential for maintaininga satisfactory shelf life of all perishable foods. Thepurposes are to remove the food (nutrients) thatbacteria need to grow and to kill those bacteria thatare present. Cleaning removes the nutrients andsanitizing kills the bacteria. When this is coupledwith cold temperatures and dry surfaces, bacterialgrowth is not a problem because the three essentialsfor bacterial growth—food, moisture, and propertemperature—have been removed.

Management must recognize that good sanita-tion is costly. It requires time, labor, and propermaterials. In most store processing and packagingareas, at least 1 hour of each 8 is necessary forclean up. For some food processing plants, this maybe 10 percent to 20 percent of the total workingtime. It is especially high for single shift operations.

Personnel must be trained to clean and sanitizefacilities and equipment. It is not something thatmost of us like to do. Therefore, the least experi-enced people are usually assigned the task of clean-ing. The opposite should be the case where perish-able foods are involved. That is, the mostexperienced people should clean and sanitizeequipment.

The necessary equipment and materials forcleaning must be available. Pails, brushes, scrapers,cleaners, sanitizers, and a high-pressure washershould be available.

The primary source of soil left on equipment isfrom the food that was handled. However, mineralsfrom the water and residues from cleaning com-pounds can contribute to films left on equipment.

Sugars and starches are quite easily removed.However, protein, fat, and minerals are not solublein water and are more difficult to remove.

Alkaline cleaning materials are used for removingfat and protein from surfaces. Alkaline materialsemulsify, saponify, and peptize these protein andfat deposits. This breaks them up so they combinewith water, causing a chemical action that placesinsoluble soils in a colloidal solution. Cleaners alsofunction to provide good penetration, rinsing andsoftening of hard water.

Alkaline cleaners in solution give pH readingsbetween 8 and 11. The higher the reading, thestronger the alkaline solution. Acid cleaners are notcommonly used in stores. In food processing plantswith closed systems, acid cleaners are necessary toprevent mineral deposits. The pH readings of thesesolutions would be 4 to 6.

Facilities and equipment must be cleaned andsanitized on a regular schedule. Hand tools, dishes,and table surfaces must be cleaned and sanitizedeach day. Never handle raw then processed foodswithout thorough cleaning and sanitizing. Handleproducts in separate areas if possible. Keep fruits,vegetables, dairy, and delicatessen products awayfrom raw meat, fish, and poultry.

Coolers and display cases should be cleanedweekly or as needed. When they become dirty, cleanthem. Consumers are aware of unclean conditions instores and lack of clean facilities affects sales volume.

Local, state, and federal regulations related tofood handling and quality are increasing. To preventregulatory action and negative publicity, sanitaryfacilities and practices are necessary.

A seven-step process is commonly used formanual cleaning of hand tools, equipment, andfacilities in the meat or delicatessen preparationareas. This involves the following:

1. Dry clean the area, picking up all scraps ofmeat, paper, etc.

2. Scrape equipment with a rubber scraper toremove as much contamination as possible.

Start 1⁄2 hour 1 hour 11⁄2 hours 2 hours 15 hours

536,000,000 bacteria

Typical Bacteria Growth

Sanitation and Handling Practices for Fresh Meat Processing and Retailing 3

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3. Rinse all surfaces with lukewarm water ofabout 100˚F to 120˚F.

4. Wash with an alkaline solution and brush.

5. Rinse with hot water of about 180˚F.

6. Sanitize with a chemical solution.

7. Let drip dry or remove excess water with aclean rubber scraper.

Loose food particles must be removed as theinitial step in cleaning. Use a rubber scraper to dothis. Metal or abrasive tools scratch surfaces, mak-ing them more difficult to clean.

All surfaces should be of metal or other materialfor easy cleaning. Wooden or porous plastic surfacesare unacceptable. Stainless steel is the most sanitary.

Rinsing equipment soon after use makes clean-ing much easier, especially with foods that dry onthe surface. Do not use hot water before using thedetergent since it will denature the protein andcook it on the surface. Water at about 100˚F meltsfat and removes it.

For hand tools, use a three compartment sink.After rinsing fill the second compartment with waterat about 120˚F. Measure the water and add the proper amount of cleaner for the volume of water.Don’t use perfumed cleaners or those with disinfec-tants, as they may cause odors or tastes in food.

Don’t use cloths or sponges for washing. Theyprovide little scrubbing action and contaminate sur-faces with bacteria, as they don’t usually drybetween uses. Bristle brushes should be used. Avoidmetal sponges and scouring pads as these scratchmetal surfaces making cleaning more difficult. Whenpossible, let hand tools soak for 5 minutes. This pro-vides time for the alkaline cleaner to work.

Rinse all surfaces with clear water. Thisremoves the alkaline solution and permits moreeffective sanitizing.

Cleaning does not remove all the bacteria. There-fore, chemical sanitizing of all food contact surfaces isnecessary. Either chlorine or iodine compoundsshould be used at strengths of 100 to 200 ppm and12 to 25 ppm, respectively. Chlorine is less expensiveand readily available as bleach. However, it is irritat-ing to skin and corrosive for metal surfaces. Iodinecompounds are much less corrosive and less irritatingto your skin. To be sanitized, surfaces must be clean.Contact time of at least 30 seconds is necessary.

Put equipment on racks to drain, if possible.With a clean rubber scraper, remove excess moisturefrom surfaces that will not drain.

ANR-380

William R. Jones, Extension Animal Scientist, Professor, Animal Sciences; Jean Weese, Extension Food Science Special-ist, Associate Professor, Nutrition and Food Science; JosephC. Cordray, Research Associate; Peter M. Brown, formerMeat Laboratory Manager; Charles Ande, former GraduateAssistant, all with Auburn University

For more information, call your county Extension office. Look in your tele-

phone directory under your county’s name to find the number.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home eco-nomics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation withthe U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System(Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, mate-rials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color,national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.

4.5M, Revised Oct 2003, ANR-380

© 2003 by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. All rights reserved.

High-pressure washers should be available in allstores. They can be used to wash stationary equipment,ceilings, walls, and floors. In packaging rooms, equip-ment, tables, and floors should be washed each day.Proper strength solution and adequate temperature andpressure are necessary for high-pressure cleaning.

One step cleaning/sanitizing should be usedonly for non-food product contact surfaces such aswalls, ceilings, floors, coolers, and display cases. Asa general rule, clean coolers and display casesweekly. Frozen food cases may be cleaned as infre-quently as four times a year.

Clean display cases and coolers whenever theyneed it. If containers leak or are broken and foodspills, clean the area immediately.

Commercial companies can advise you onproducts and procedures for all of your facilitiesand equipment. Follow their directions. If youhave cleaning problems, contact their technicalrepresentatives for assistance.

Note: This publication is based in part on HandlingPrepackaged Meat, University of Missouri ExtensionManual 64, by H. D. Naumann, W. C. Stringer, andP. F. Gould, and on Meat Sanitation Fact Sheet, by F. A. Oats and William Vastine, Texas A&M University.

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