Charcuterie HACCP Plans Delivered To A Food Business.

Earlier this year, we were contacted by a food business owner, who was struggling to convince his food safety officer, that his food safety management system would produce a safe product.

It wasn't that the Owner was doing anything wrong, it was more a case of the officer having a fear of the unknown, as she did not understand the products nor the science behind what made them safe.

The products in question were cured, fermented and air dried meats which were classified as ready to eat, although they had never received a heat treatment.

As the saying goes, "There are more ways to skin a cat" and indeed, there are also more ways of killing pathogenic bacteria than heat alone....

Fermented and air dried meats have been safely produced for centuries, particularly in regions where the climate is warmer than the UK. They could almost be classified as "Safe by Tradition"

The procedures being used by the food business owner were pretty much ideal for producing a safe product, however this needed to be justified in the HACCP plan.

And that is what we did. We didn't specifically change any of the processes, we merely described in the HACCP plan, how the processes controlled the risk.

Although this work was very specialised, don't forget, we have also prepared a generic HACCP plan which is ideal for catering establishment. Its is easy to use and is robust proof of Due Diligence It is entitled "Our Kitchen Rules" and is always available to purchase by emailing artisanfood.angel@gmail.com

CHARCUTERIE - How should it be stored and displayed

Charcuterie Displayed at Ambient Temperatures

One common complaint that I hear from retailers of fermented and air dried meats is that when their local food safety officer pops his head in, he expects to see such products under chilled temperature control.

However, when visiting the continent it is typical to see such products displayed openly at ambient temperatures and nobody seems to bat an eyelid.

Are there different laws across Europe you might wonder. Well there are a few exceptions but generally speaking food safety law is pretty standard across the continent and is formulated by the EU commission with the intention of creating a level playing field for trade. 

Fermented and air dried meats are not native to the UK and therein lies the problem.

In countries where Charcuterie has been traditionally made for centuries, there is a deeper understanding of the physical and chemical qualities that result in a safe product.

Fermented meats such as salamis have a very low pH, creating an acidic environment within which pathogenic bacteria find it it hard to survive and grow. Salamis are also dried to some extent and this further inhibits the growth of bacteria as there is very little water available, and without an adequate supply of water bacteria cannot multiply.

Similarly, air dried meats such as Serrano or Prosciutto hams contain high levels of salt and have  minimal amounts of water available to promote the growth of pathogens.

In reality, the safety of these products rely heavily on dryness and the use of refrigerated storage might compromise safety, especially if condensation were to form on the surface of the meats. 

Generally speaking, most continental style air dried and fermented meats do not support the growth of pathogenic bacteria and this is why it is safe to store and display them at ambient temperatures.

Further information on artisan food safety is available here 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle/dp/B00K34H650/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_eos_detail … … … … … … …

ARTISAN AND SPECIALITY FOOD PRODUCTION - FOOD SAFETY ESSENTIALS

http://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle/dp/B00K34H650/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_eos_detail

"ARTISAN & SPECIALITY FOOD PRODUCTION" explains the food safety essentials for the safe preparation of - JAM, CHUTNEY, VINEGAR PICKLES, FERMENTED PICKLES, CHEESE, FERMENTED SAUSAGES, BILTONG & JERKY, SALTED & SMOKED FISH, CEVICHE, FLAVOURED OILS and foods cooked SOUS VIDE. 
The book is ideally suited to both the novice and experienced Artisan or Speciality Food Producer. 
Essential food safety controls are simply explained in a way that does not require too much prior food safety knowledge. 
Everybody knows that temperature controls both the growth and survival of unwanted bacteria in food. That is why we cook food and why we keep food in the refrigerator. But there are other methods of controlling the growth and survival of micro-organisms too. 
What gives jam its extended shelf life? What makes salami safe to eat when the meat is still raw? How much salt should you use when preparing smoked fish? 
The physical controls that are discussed are salt, sugar, acidity, pH, moisture content and water activity. 
If you are contemplating starting a food business then "Artisan & Speciality Food Production" is an essential read for getting started. It can be used to inform the content of a documented food safety management system. These systems are frequently known as a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems and are a legal requirement for all food producers in many countries.