3 replies to this topic

[Dawny P]

Happy New Year everyone,

I am trying to write a procedure for the control and management of wooden skewers in a high care area.

I'm led to believe that the skewers will be sealed on top of a chilled product and that they are in clear plastic heat sealed sachets.

I've spent my whole food safety career in replacing wood with other materials so this is new ground for me.

Could anyone with experience in this area help with some hints, tips and advice?

I'm sure it's pretty much the same for cocktail sticks, ice cream sticks etc

 

thanking you in advance.

[GMO]

Hi!

 

I'm not completely clear about your product application but I will tell you what we did many, many years ago.

 

We were making a product using skewers in a kebab product (raw).  That made it easy from a micro point of view anyway.  To control the wood splinter risk we counted out and in (onerous but I couldn't think of another way of doing it at the time) and kept a record of any broken sticks throwing away the product it was touching when it broke.

 

Now I have experience of ceramics I probably would drop the counting out and in bit but would retain the "broken stick" part as you want to make sure if a stick breaks as it's put through the meat that the pieces are thrown away not just taken off as splinters of wood can (and do) remain.

 

I'd also have a dedicated storage place.  If you're processing other products in the area, I'd make sure the wood was nowhere near that line and the area is fully cleaned down afterwards.

 

If your product is ready to eat, I'd also be wary about micro as wood getting wet can be harbourage / source of pathogens.

 

[Charles.C]

Happy New Year everyone,

I am trying to write a procedure for the control and management of wooden skewers in a high care area.

I'm led to believe that the skewers will be sealed on top of a chilled product and that they are in clear plastic heat sealed sachets.

I've spent my whole food safety career in replacing wood with other materials so this is new ground for me.

Could anyone with experience in this area help with some hints, tips and advice?

I'm sure it's pretty much the same for cocktail sticks, ice cream sticks etc

 

thanking you in advance.

 

Hi Dawny P,

 

I'm also unsure as to yr specific query however I would make sure that the skewers supplied are not microbiologically "active".

 

Personally never encountered significant splintering problems, possible due to our dipping in boiling water as a precaution before use.

[Beef2021]

Procedure

Training Check List

Theory

Practical

Final

1.    Wood is not permitted into the production unit with the exception of wooden skewers for processing kebabs. Due to the nature of the skewers strict controls are necessary to eliminate any risk of product contamination.

 

 

 

 

2.    No wooden skewers are to be stored in the production room.

 

 

 

 

3.    Further Processing

The operator will become aware of the need to produce kebabs when the order sheet is printed. There will be a narrative or fixed units recorded on the sheet confirming the number required by the customer.

 

 

 

 

4.    The operator responsible for the order will select the correct amount of skewers to complete the order.

 

 

 

 

5.    Once the order is completed any surplus skewers are disposed of. Any Broken or damaged skewers must be reported to the supervisor and disposed of.

 

 

 

 

6.    Manufacturing

The operative will become aware of the requirement to produce kofta style kebabs when notified by the manufacturing manager.

 

 

 

 

7.    The manufacturing manager will make the operator aware of the amount of mix required and will also calculate the approximate number of skewers required using the formula:

Total amount of mix produced / Single portion size = Skewers required

e.g. 100kg / 56g (0.056kg) = 1,786 skewers (approx.)

 

 

 

 

8.    The operator will select the appropriate number of packs (200 skewers in a pack).

 

 

 

 

9.    At the end of production, the operator will undertake a check to ensure that all surplus skewers are disposed off. Any Broken or damaged skewers must be reported to the supervisor and disposed of.

 

 

 

 

 

Food For Thought?