About Food Slicers
Slicers are potential vehicles of contamination if not properly designed, maintained, or cleaned and sanitized.
Cleaning and Sanitizing
Slicers have many surfaces that contact food. Therefore, this equipment must be properly cleaned in accordance with Food Code requirements. Thoroughly wash, rinse and sanitize slicers:
- Before each use with different types of raw animal food such as beef, fish, lamb, pork, or poultry
- Each time there is a change between working with raw foods and ready-to-eat foods
- Between uses with raw fruits and vegetables and with potentially hazardous foods
- Throughout the day at least every four hours if in continual use at room temperatures (this time may be longer if used under refrigerated temperatures)
Maintenance
Slicers must be properly properly maintained in a manner that retains the original characteristics designed by the manufacturer. Food contact surfaces of the equipment must be:
- Smooth
- Free of breaks, open seams, cracks, chips, inclusions, pits, and similar imperfections
- Free of sharp internal angles, corners, and crevices
- Finished to have smooth welds and joints
- Accessible for cleaning and inspection
Design
When purchasing a slicer, be sure that it is designed to be durable enough to meet the characteristics described above. Materials used in construction must be:
- Safe;
- Durable, corrosion-resistant, and nonabsorbent;
- Sufficient in weight and thickness to withstand repeated wear and washing;
- Finished to have a smooth, easily cleanable surface;
- Resistant to pitting, chipping, crazing, scratching, scoring, distortion, and decomposition.
Rhode Island Department of Health