Keeping your Reputation Stainless
23 June 2010
Keeping Your Reputation Stainless
Introduction
Managing any business can be a thankless task. There is a simple adage that if you keep a customer happy for five years and then make one mistake, they will only remember you for the error. This in itself will not be disastrous for most industries. Over-charging a customer or delivering their product a day late is most unlikely to irreversibly damage the reputation of an otherwise reliably performing company. However, where food preparation is concerned, the stakes are infinitely higher. Gone are the minor inconveniences of an incorrect invoice or a missing item from a delivery. In its place is the reality that the public’s wellbeing needs to be paramount as the dreaded potential for food poisoning raises its head. It is also true to say that the majority of companies who experience the investigation, subsequent fine and adverse publicity that the stigma of a food poisoning brings, do not survive.
The Unseen Enemy
Briefly, there are two main types of food poisoning, infectious agent and toxic agent. The former relates to the consumption of harmful bacteria or microbes that have become attached to and contaminated food which subsequently infect the body. Toxic poisoning refers to the ingestion of harmful contaminates that are present within the food itself. Of the two, the vast majority of reported cases stem from infectious agents, usually caused by poor hygiene standards. Although in general there have been improvements in hygiene standards over recent years, this is no cause for complacency. Whilst it is true that Salmonella and E. coli O157 outbreaks have been decreasing, incidences of Campylobacter and viral agents of gastroenteritis have remained relatively constant
One often overlooked area in the catering industry is that of food preparation surfaces. Although cleaned and disinfected, wear and tear inevitably leaves many surfaces worn and scratched and therefore vulnerable to bacterial harbouring. One option is to use antibacterial glass surfaces which minimise bacterial contamination by the inclusion of silver ions into the upper layers of the glass. However this process is costly and can only be used as surface cladding, necessitating the need to find an appropriate structure on which to install it. There is another equally suitable material which offers the same benefits as glass but which has the advantage of being stronger, more durable and suitable for the whole structure on which food needs to be prepared.
The Self-Healing Solution
Stainless steel is probably the most common material used in food preparation environments. For the chemically minded, stainless steel is an iron based alloy which contains a minimum of 10.5% chromium and a maximum of 1.2% carbon. The chromium content provides a protective layer of chromium oxide on the surface (also known as the passive film or layer). However to be suitable for use in food preparation areas, a minimum chromium content of 18% is recommended. The material used by Teknomek is defined as austenitic steel classed as type 304 which states a chromium level of between 18-20%. This greatly improves the corrosion resistance by increasing the stability of the passive film. Another benefit of using 304 grade stainless steel is it’s inclusion of 8-10.5% nickel which further increases the corrosion characteristics as it assists the formation of the passive film during smelting. It is this film which actually self-heals itself when damaged, enabling the surface to retain its hygienic properties (see below).
Care and Maintenance
All grades of stainless steel will stain and discolour due to surface deposits and can never be accepted as completely maintenance free. To achieve maximum corrosion resistance the surface of the stainless steel must be kept clean. Provided the cleaning schedules are carried out on a regular basis, good performance and long service life are assured. Washing with soap or a mild detergent and warm water, or using an antibacterial treatment is usually quite adequate. Finally a clean water rinse followed by a wipe dry will help retain an enhanced aesthetic appearance.
Stainless steel is easier to clean than other materials such as polymers and aluminium and as previously stated, has comparable hygienic qualities to glass. Tests using standard domestic dishwashers and commercial detergents have found that typically 97% of microorganisms are eliminated on stainless steel surfaces. This compares very favourable to polymer surfaces which characteristically retain between 69-84% of potentially harmful contamination.
Where to Use?
Typical applications where stainless steel should be considered for its hygiene benefits are:-
Dishwasher tables
Food service trolleys
Wall cupboards
Preparation tables
Work surfaces
Hot cupboards
Bain-marie tops
Heated plate dispensers
Hot and cold servery units
Refrigerated servery units
Tray removal and stack trolleys
Cutlery trays and trolleys
Gastronorm containers and trolleys
Baking trays and cooling wire
Teknomek are Europe’s leading manufacturer of stainless steel furniture and equipment. For more information, please contact us.
Teknomek Limited
1 Brunel Way
Sweetbriar Industrial Estate
Norwich
NR3 2BD
Tel: 01603 788833
Fax: 01603 895052
E-mail: Click here to Contact Us
Web: www.teknomek.co.uk
