A note on the hygiene of meat mincing machines

Two mincing machines were cleaned by different methods, i.e. (a) a detergent/sterilizer method and (b) scrubbing parts in boiling (98.8 degrees C.) water. Initial results indicated that, on reassembly, post-treatment contamination took place. Efforts to clean each machine as consisting of two distinct parts, (a) the casing and (b) removable parts, were more satisfactory. Four other mincers which could be completely dis-assembled were satisfactorily cleaned, but only in terms of percentage organisms surviving and not in terms of actual numbers surviving.