We have a quick Good Manufacturing Practices tip for you
this week. When you receive pallets of chocolate or the 10-pound bars of
chocolate from your chocolate supplier, you need to break them into smaller
pieces to melt down and create your store’s confections. How do you go about
doing that?
Many candy makers will break the chocolate into smaller
pieces by smashing it with a hammer. However, if you are using a wood handled
hammer, you risk the wood chipping off in the process and small shreds of wood
landing in your chocolate. Additionally, if you are using a rubber handled
hammer, it likely has small crevices in it that can easily hold chocolate and
create bacteria as time goes on.
Therefore, this week’s tip is to use a stainless steel or
titanium crowbar to break your chocolate into pieces for melting. It is still a
good idea to clean the crowbar on a regular basis, but with no other element
such as wood and rubber on the bar, it will be much easier to ensure it is
completely clean and sterilized and ready for safe use with food.
