Storage & wastage When you’re not selling your charcuterie you’ll need to store it and dispose of it correctly STORING YOUR CHARCUTERIE
Any cut meats must be refrigerated, otherwise they can quickly turn rancid. Whole air-dried hams and salamis can be stored ambiently but maintaining the right humidity levels can be tricky without a special curing unit. Environmental Health legislation has forced many retailers to refrigerate their whole, uncut meats, however, chilling for too long can result in a build-up of salt impacting quality and flavour. Not all products will suffer, but there’s no allowance in the regulations
for retailers to decide how products are best stored. Here are some tips when storing your charcuterie: • Cut hams and salamis can pick up other strong flavours quite easily, so need to be wrapped in cling-film. • The storage area should be kept dry, cool, clean, well-lit, and ventilated. • Don’t overload the chiller as this will prevent air circulating and keeping products cold. • Check the temperature of your fridges at least once a day starting with your opening checks.
HANDLE YOUR WASTAGE…
Any cured meats unfit for human consumption (whether out of date or due to packaging defects) must be disposed of under the Animal By-Products [ABP] (Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013. It cannot be fed to livestock under any circumstances. Charcuterie falls under the lowest category of ABP (category 3). Retailers can dispose up to 20kg a week of category 3 ABP to landfill as normal business waste but must keep detailed records to show the type and total weight of each batch sent to landfill each week.
… OR USE THE KITCHEN TO AVOID IT
Most retail operations have some sort of in-house production area or a kitchen for foodservice. These areas of your business are a good outlet for charcuterie from the counter that would otherwise end up in the bin. Whether it’s the end of a cut salami or a pâté that is approaching its use-by date, there will be a recipe that can absorb them. Read more on page 27
12 H O W TO S E L L C H A R C U T E R I E
A SUPPLEMENT TO FINE FOOD DIGEST
