[0001] This invention relates to a food knife which is provided with means to identify the
food with which it is to be used.
[0002] At the present time there is great concern, especially in hospitals and other public
food establishments, due to cross-infection of food which is caused by the use of
knives which are used for more than one type of food material. Thus if, for example,
a knife is used first for a dairy product such as cheese and is then subsequently
used on raw meat or fish then is again used for cheese without cleansing taking place
between each food material there is the possibility of cross-infection and subsequent
poisoning of the person eating the food.
[0003] It is know that in order to prevent such cross-use of knives to colour them in some
way, for example, by providing a coloured handle with a colour which represents the
type of food concerned. At the present time red is used for raw meat, blue for raw
fish and yellow for dairy products. This system is successful only as long as the
person using the knife is familiar with the colour coding. It is possible to mark
the knife with the name of the material concerned but such labels are liable to become
detached.
[0004] The present invention is therefore intended to produce a knife which can be used
in a more hygienic way and which is instantly recognisable to the user.
[0005] According to the present invention a food knife gas a blade which is permanently
annotated with the word or words for the material for which the knife is intended
to be used.
[0006] Thus, if the blade is metal the word or words can be impressed, cut or etched into
the metal so that even when the knife is cleaned, wiped or washed, for example in
a mechanical washing machine, the word cannot be removed.
[0007] In order to cut the word into the blade it can be engraved.
[0008] In order to further assist in identifying the knife the word can be coloured to identify
the material with which it is to be used and thus, the word can be colour etched into
the metal.
[0009] The invention can be performed in various ways but one embodiment will now be described
by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows the blade
of a knife according to the invention and which is intended to be used with dairy
products.
[0010] The knife according to the invention comprises a handle (not shown) and a blade 1
made from a metal such as steel. One or both sides of the blade 1 are acid etched
so that the word "DAIRY" indicated by reference numeral 2 is etched into the metal.
The etching ensures that the word will not be removed during use or if the blade is
wiped or washed, for example in a mechanical appliance, or if the blade is sterilised.
The word "DAIRY" implies that the knife is for use with dairy products so that any
user can immediately see which knife is required for this kind of material and, provided
the user is sensible will not be used for any other material, for example raw meat
or raw fish. Thus, the knife assists in the hygiene of the kitchen and prevents inadvertent
use for different materials which are likely to promote cross-contamination.
[0011] If desired coloured acid etching can be used so that, for example, with the word
DAIRY the word can be indicated in yellow lettering. Using the now-accepted colour
coding knife blades marked "RAW MEAT" can be colour engraved in red and knife blades
marked "RAW FISH" can be colour engraved in blue. The appropriate knife can therefore
be immediately identified for the material with which it is to be used.
[0012] As mentioned above in the example described the word relating to the material with
which the knife is intended to be used is acid etched but other means of marking such
a metal blade can be employed, for example the word could be impressed into the blade
by stamping or it could be engraved. The essential qualification of the annotation
is that it is permanent and cannot be removed.
1. A food knife the blade of which is permanently annotated with the word or words for
the material with which the knife is intended to be used.
2. A food knife as claimed in claim 1 in which the blade is metal and the word is impressed,
cut or etched into the metal.
3. A food knife as claimed in claim 2 in which the word is cut by engraving.
4. A food knife as claimed in claims 1 to 3 in which the word is coloured to identify
the material with which it is to be used.
5. A food knife as claimed in claim 4 in which the word is colour etched into the metal.
