Maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene is the basic condition for the functioning of gastronomic establishments. In addition to removing food residues or mechanical cleaning of surfaces, devices and accessories, companies offering food services are obliged by Sanepid to sterilize devices and cutlery in direct contact with raw ingredients, primarily meat . Let's see what should be the guidelines when choosing a knife steriliser.
Functional knife sterilizers – what makes them stand out?
The knife sterilizer is used for complete disinfection and removal of microorganisms and bacteria from cutlery. When running a bar, restaurant, butcher's shop or butcher's shop, or any other point related to the preparation and handling of food, we must make sure that the knives – so necessary in daily work – are always perfectly clean and free from pathogens. Since each professional catering facility must be equipped with a sterilizer, let's check what features it should have. Taking care of the health of customers and their reputation, it is worth choosing a model that is characterized by fast work and 100% effectiveness. A knife sterilizer should be made of durable materials, resistant to harsh kitchen conditions. Stainless steel is preferred because of its very good properties and strength. This material is commonly used to construct gastronomic devices and furniture. Knife sterilizers are characterized by quiet operation and small dimensions, which will certainly be appreciated in a place where there is no square meter of backroom. Currently, two types of knife disinfectants are the most popular on the market – water sterilizers and those using UV rays. Let's take a look at what the two technologies are different.
Knife sterilizers: UV or water?
Although their purpose is exactly the same – thorough sterilization of knives – it can be achieved in two different ways. Let's start with the water knife sterilizers. The mechanism of their operation is relatively simple. The water is heated to a temperature that is harmful to most microorganisms. In advanced sterilizers, the device automatically adjusts the water temperature to 90 ° C, activating the sterilization process. High-class equipment also allows you to set the desired sterilization duration up to 120 minutes. These knife sterilizers require a water connection and a power supply. In some situations, these conditions may prove difficult to meet. UV knife sterilizers offer more flexible options. This type of disinfectant uses ultraviolet lamps instead of water to eliminate dangerous microorganisms. The modern solution makes the sterilized knives perfectly clean, and the lack of contact with water and high temperature does not expose them to damage. Importantly, the emitted radiation is not harmful to the personnel.
Which knife steriliser to choose?
The final decision regarding which knife sterilizer is right for you is of course yours, but we would like to draw your attention to a few points before making your choice. Let's start with the fundamental thing – available space, which must be accommodated by equipment of specific dimensions. The more space, the larger the machine we can invest in. The second variable is the access to power and running water already mentioned. Third – security. Before buying, make sure that the device has good security and will be easy for staff to use. Safety switches and automatic interruption of the sterilization process when the door is opened is a must. Most of these sterilizers are equipped with a stainless steel door, but you can also purchase models with a transparent acrylic door, which is as safe as a metal counterpart. This allows direct access to the interior of the device without opening the door. A good solution is to buy a device that has a removable knife stand, which makes it easier and faster to remove and insert cutlery.
