Good Retail Practices for Retail Meat Operation Processes

Grinding

Meat Ingredient Storage

Meat ingredients should be stored at 4°C or lower in bins, under peach paper or in bags until use.

If store generated trim is used it must be carefully handled to prevent contamination and ensure adequate temperature control while in production and storage areas. Store produced trim should be labelled with the production date, species, and lean percentage or classification.

Ingredient Selection and Preparation   

Select meat ingredients in accordance with a first in–first out inventory management system. If meat is frozen, thaw at 4°C or less.

Inspect meat for off odour, excess purge, bone-chips, torn or ripped packaging or any other condition which would make the ground meat or trim unsatisfactory for use. Source meat products from establishments which have a HACCP or other type of food safety assurance system.

Take special care to ensure that clips removed from chubs do not enter product.

To reduce the likelihood of contamination after opening do not remove ground product from chubs until you are ready to package or grind.

Grinder Pre-Operational Inspection  

Bolts, pins, or other small parts removed during disassembly must all be accounted for and securely placed so that they cannot enter ground products.

Ensure the grinder is free of excessive rust, flaking paint, or other condition which could contaminate product. All grinder components should be periodically inspected by qualified personnel for evidence of wear or other condition which could lead to metal particles entering product or difficulty in cleaning.

Grinder must be visually free of meat residues and pooled water.

Individuals involved with ground meat production must ensure that hands and garments are clean and that requirements for personnel hygiene are being observed.

Grinding Production

Try to grind only what is required in the next few hours. Monitor sales to ensure that overproduction does not occur.

Grind meat in areas which are no more than 10°C and whenever possible 4°C or colder. If room temperatures are 10°C or more, a complete cleanup should be performed at mid-shift to prevent build up of bacteria on meat contact surfaces. Keep meat ingredients cold enough to ensure that product leaving the grinder is 4°C or colder.

Ensure ground meat is placed into clean containers and that all other meat contact surfaces including trays are very clean.

Place finished packaged product in refrigerated display or storage as soon as possible.

Keep ground meat from chubs separate from that produced from in-store trimmings.

Rework  

If whole muscle products are taken from the counter for grinding always ensure that they are free from any seasoning and have adequate shelf life remaining to be used for ground meat.

If you find that you have ground more then you can sell it is acceptable to immediately freeze the remaining unexpired product as patties or frozen ground beef for sale in the frozen counter. Do not mix any remaining ground product into another day’s fresh ground meat production.

Grinder Sanitation

Create written instructions for disassembly and sanitation of the grinder. Completely disassemble, clean and sanitize the grinder after each day of production or more often if needed. If possible use a separate grinder for each species otherwise a complete cleanup of the grinder must be undertaken when switching species.

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