Alaska Administrative Code
Title 18 - Environmental Conservation
Chapter 31 - Alaska Food Code
Article 4 - Equipment and Utensils
18 AAC 31.420 - Cleaning and sanitizing: frequency

Universal Citation: 18 AK Admin Code 18 AAC 31.420

Current through August 30, 2024

(a) The operator of a food establishment shall ensure that food-contact surfaces are clean to sight and touch, and are kept free of encrusted grease deposits and other soil accumulations.

(b) Except as provided in this section, the operator of a food establishment shall ensure that, at each of the following points in time, food-contact surfaces are precleaned, washed, rinsed, and sanitized as specified in 18 AAC 31.422 - 18 AAC 31.424, or replaced with clean and sanitized equipment and utensils:

(1) before each use with a different type of raw animal food, unless the food-contact surface is in contact with a succession of different raw animal foods, each requiring a higher cooking temperature, as specified in 18 AAC 31.232, than the previous food;

(2) each time a change occurs from working with raw foods to working with ready-to-eat foods;

(3) between uses with raw fruits and vegetables and with potentially hazardous food;

(4) at any time during the operation when contamination may have occurred.

(c) If the food-contact surface is a product thermometer that is maintained in contact with food held at the temperatures specified in 18 AAC 31.234, the operator of a food establishment shall ensure that the product thermometer is washed, rinsed, and sanitized

(1) before the internal food temperature is taken;

(2) after use and before storage; and

(3) between use with raw and with ready-to-eat foods, and different raw animal species.

(d) The operator of a food establishment shall ensure that food-contact surfaces used to prepare or serve potentially hazardous food on a continuous or production-line basis are washed, rinsed, and sanitized at least every four hours during use or replaced with clean and sanitized equipment and utensils, except that

(1) the establishment is not required to wash, rinse, or sanitize containers holding potentially hazardous food until those containers are empty, if those containers and their contents are in storage and maintained at temperatures specified in 18 AAC 31.234;

(2) serving containers that hold ready-to-eat potentially hazardous food that is maintained at the temperatures specified in 18 AAC 31.234, in a salad bar, delicatessen, cafeteria, or similar serving situation, are intermittently combined with additional supplies of the same food that is at the temperatures specified in 18 AAC 31.234, and the containers are washed, rinsed, and sanitized at least once every 24 hours; and

(3) in a room or area maintained at an ambient temperature of 55º F or below, the food-contact surfaces are washed, rinsed, and sanitized at the frequency required in Table G of this section.

TABLE G

CLEANING AND SANITIZING FREQUENCY

FOR FOOD-CONTACT SURFACES

USED IN A ROOM OR AREA

KEPT AT AN AMBIENT TEMPERATURE OF 55° F OR BELOW

TEMPERATURE FREQUENCY 41° F or below 24 hours 42° F - 45° F 20 hours 46° F - 50° F16 hours51° F - 55° F10 hours (e) Except if dry cleaning methods are used as specified in 18 AAC 31.421, the operator of a food establishment shall ensure that food-contact surfaces contacting nonpotentially hazardous foods are washed, rinsed, and sanitized

(e) Except if dry cleaning methods are used as specified in 18 AAC 31.421, the operator of a food establishment shall ensure that food-contact surfaces contacting nonpotentially hazardous foods are washed, rinsed, and sanitized

(1) at any time after contamination may have occurred;

(2) at least once every 24 hours for iced tea dispensers and consumer self-service utensils, including tongs, scoops, and ladles;

(3) before restocking consumer self-service equipment and utensils, including condiment dispensers and display containers; and

(4) in equipment, including ice bins and beverage dispensing nozzles and enclosed components of equipment, at a frequency specified by the manufacturer or, absent manufacturer specifications, at a frequency necessary to preclude accumulation of soil or mold.

(f) The operator of a food establishment shall ensure that food-contact surfaces of grills and griddles are cleaned at least once every 24 hours.

(g) The operator of a food establishment shall ensure that the cavities and door seals of microwave ovens are cleaned at least once every 24 hours by using the manufacturer's recommended cleaning procedure.

(h) The operator of a food establishment shall ensure that each warewashing machine, drainboard, utensil rack, and table, and each compartment of each sink, basin, or other receptacle used for washing and rinsing food-contact surfaces or raw foods, or laundering wiping cloths, is washed, rinsed, and sanitized

(1) before use;

(2) throughout the day at a frequency necessary to prevent recontamination of food-contact surfaces and to ensure that the equipment performs its intended function;

(3) if used, at least once every 24 hours; and

(4) if a warewashing sink is used to wash wiping cloths, wash produce, or thaw food, the sink is washed, rinsed, and sanitized before and after each of these uses.

(i) The operator of a food establishment shall ensure that nonfood-contact surfaces of equipment are

(1) kept free of dust, dirt, food particles, grease, and other debris; and

(2) cleaned at a frequency necessary to preclude accumulation of residues.

(j) If a reservoir is used to supply water to a produce fogger or similar device, the operator of a food establishment shall ensure that the device is

(1) maintained in accordance with manufacturer's instructions; and

(2) cleaned at least once each week in accordance with manufacturer's instructions, or by
(A) draining and completely disassembling the water and aerosol contact parts;

(B) brush-cleaning the reservoir, aerosol tubing, and discharge nozzles with a suitable detergent solution;

(C) flushing the complete system with water to remove the detergent solution and particulate accumulation; and

(D) rinsing by immersing, spraying, or swabbing the reservoir, aerosol tubing, and discharge nozzles with at least 50 ppm hypochlorite solution or another equivalent sanitizer solution.

(k) The operator of a food establishment shall ensure that the wash, rinse, sanitize solutions are changed frequently to maintain cleanliness and temperatures specified in 18 AAC 31.422 - 18 AAC 31.424 or by the manufacturer.

Effective 12/19/99, Register 152, the Department of Environmental Conservation readopted 18 AAC 31.420, to affirm the validity of that section following statutory amendments made in ch. 72, SLA 1998. The department also amended 18 AAC 31.420(a). Chapter 72, SLA 1998 relocated department authority to adopt regulations in 18 AAC 31 from AS 03.05 to AS 17.20.

Authority:AS 17.20.005

AS 17.20.020

AS 17.20.072

AS 17.20.180

AS 17.20.290

AS 44.46.020

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