Arizona Administrative Code
Title 3 - AGRICULTURE
Chapter 2 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE - ANIMAL SERVICES DIVISION
Article 8 - DAIRY AND DAIRY PRODUCTS CONTROL
Section R3-2-807 - Frozen Dessert Plant and Processing Standards

a. The building exterior and interior shall be kept clean and in good repair.

b. In processing and packaging areas, outside doors, windows, skylights, transoms, or other openings shall be protected and operated to preclude the entrance of dust, insects, vermin, rodents, and other animals. Outside doors shall be self-closing wherever practical. Window sills on new construction shall slope inward at least 45-degrees. Outside conveyor openings and other outside openings shall be protected by doors, screens, flaps, fans, or tunnels. Pipes shall be sealed where they extend through exterior walls. Outside pipe openings shall be covered when not in use.

c. Rooms. All rooms, compartments, coolers, freezers, and dry storage space in which any raw material, packaging or ingredient supplies, or finished products are handled, processed, manufactured, packaged, or stored shall be constructed to ensure clean and orderly operations.

d. Walls and ceilings shall be constructed of smooth, washable, impervious material. They shall be light-colored, kept clean and sanitary, and refinished when discolored. A darker color material may be used to a height not exceeding 60 inches from the floor.

e. Floors shall be an impervious, smooth-surfaced material that may be flushed clean with water. Except for hardening rooms, floors shall slope 3/16 to 1/4 inch per foot to one or more trapped outlets. No open channel drainage is permitted in new construction or in extensive remodeling of existing plants. Floor drains are not required in freezers used for storing frozen desserts or frozen ingredients. However, the floors shall be sloped to drain to at least one exit and shall be kept clean. Floors in new construction or extensive remodeling shall be joined and coved with the walls to form water-tight joints. Smooth wood floors may only be permitted in rooms where there will be no spillage of product or ingredients, such as rooms where wrapped or packaged frozen products are packed in multiple-pack containers. Toilets and dressing rooms shall have impervious floors and smooth walls.

f. Plumbing shall be installed to prevent back-up of sewage or odors into the plant.

g. All rooms and compartments, including storage space for materials, ingredients, and packages, and toilets and dressing rooms, shall be ventilated to maintain sanitary conditions, and to minimize or eliminate condensation and odors.

h. Lighting, whether natural or artificial, shall be well distributed in all rooms and compartments. Light bulbs and fluorescent tubes shall be protected so that broken glass cannot fall into any product or equipment.

i. Containers for collecting and holding waste other than dry waste paper and other dry packaging material shall be constructed of metal or other impervious material, covered with tight-fitting lids or covers, and emptied or disposed of daily or at least once during the shift. Clothing, tools, equipment, and other material not used with the frozen desserts operations shall not accumulate in the work areas or in the storage rooms.

j. A room or other space separate from any room or space where milk products or frozen desserts are received, handled, processed, packaged, or stored, shall be provided where employees may change and store clothing. This area shall contain hand-washing facilities, with hot and cold running water, soap or other detergents, and single-service towels or air dryers. Self-closing containers shall be provided for used towels and other wastes.

k. Approval of plans. Plans shall be submitted to the Dairy Supervisor, for any new or remodeled frozen dessert manufacturer, to be reviewed for compliance with this Section. The Dairy Supervisor may allow variances to the requirements in this Section, if protection from contamination is provided for all products handled.

a. Potable hot and cold water shall be available in sufficient quantity for all plant operations and facilities. Non-potable water may be used for boiler feed and condenser water, if the water lines are separated from the water lines carrying the potable water supply and the equipment is constructed to preclude contamination of any product or product contact surface. If water for washing frozen desserts equipment and utensils and for use in rehydration or as an ingredient in any frozen desserts is obtained from other than a regulated municipal supply, a bacteriological examination shall be made of the water supply at least once every six months by a laboratory acceptable to the Dairy regulatory program to determine potability. If the examination indicates contamination of the water supply, a device shall be installed to eliminate the contamination.

b. If steam is used, it shall be provided in sufficient volume and pressure for the operation of equipment or for sterilization, or both. Steam that comes in contact with frozen desserts, ingredients, or with the product contact surface, shall be steam of culinary quality as prescribed in Appendix H, Part III, Culinary Steam - Milk and Milk Products, of the PMO.

a. New equipment shall meet applicable 3-A Sanitary Standards. All equipment, including connections, coming in contact with frozen desserts or ingredients during processing, manufacturing, handling, or packaging, shall be made of stainless steel. No equipment shall be permitted that is rusted, corroded, or in any other condition that may result in contamination of the frozen desserts. Non-metallic parts with product contact surfaces shall consist of material that meets 3-A Sanitary Standards for Plastic or Rubber and Rubber-like Materials or shall be of plastic approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Equipment, apparatus, and piping shall be easily accessible for cleaning and shall be kept in good repair and free from cracks and corroded surfaces. Stationary equipment, including welded sanitary lines and apparatus that permit in-place-cleaning, may be used if prior approval from the Dairy Supervisor has been obtained. C-I-P piping and welded sanitary pipeline systems shall be permitted if engineered and installed according to 3-A Accepted Practices for Permanently Installed Sanitary Product and Solution Pipelines and Cleaning Systems. If rigid pipelines are not practical, plastic pipelines listed in the 3-A Accepted Practices may be used. Product pumps shall be sanitary and easily dismantled for cleaning or shall be constructed to allow C-I-P procedures. All parts of interior surfaces of equipment, pipes (except C-I-P piping), or fittings, including valves and connections shall be accessible for inspection. The Dairy Supervisor may require other equipment, apparatus or piping if stationary equipment, apparatus or piping cannot or is not being effectively cleaned-in-place.

b. Equipment for storage and distribution of liquid sweetening agents shall be constructed of metals, alloys, or other material that will withstand corrosive action by the ingredient. The equipment and the ingredients shall be protected from contamination.

c. Pasteurizing equipment shall meet the standards prescribed in the PMO and 3-A Accepted Practices for Sanitary Construction, Installation, Testing and Operation of High-Temperature-Short-Time Pasteurizers and 3-A Sanitary Standards for Non-Coiled Type Batch Pasteurizers. Batch-type pasteurizers shall be provided with close-coupled outlet valves protected against leakage and shall be equipped with thermometers that record the information of each day's operation on separate charts. Air space thermometers and indicating thermometers shall be provided to check the recording thermometers. The recording thermometer chart shall contain the date, the identity of the pasteurizing number, the batch and product name, and the signature of the employee responsible for this information. The record shall be kept on file at the plant for at least six months. The accuracy of the recording thermometer shall be checked daily using the indicating thermometer and the time and temperature shall be documented on the recording chart. Chart recorders and thermometers for batch pasteurizers shall be tested and sealed by the Dairy Supervisor or the Supervisor's designee after testing and seals shall not be removed without immediately notifying the Dairy Supervisor or the Supervisor's designee.

d. Every plant shall contain hardening rooms, refrigerating rooms, or refrigerated cabinets with space for storage of frozen desserts and perishable ingredients.

e. All utensils used in the receiving, storing, processing, manufacturing, packaging, and handling of frozen desserts or any ingredients shall be of smooth, stainless steel, or plastic listed in the 3-A Accepted Practices and shall have flush seams. Utensils that are badly worn, rusted, or corroded or that cannot be rendered clean and sanitary by washing shall not be used. Lead solder shall not come in contact with milk or milk products or frozen desserts.

a. Cleaning and sanitizing. Equipment, sanitary piping and utensils used in receiving, storing, processing, manufacturing, packaging, and handling frozen desserts and ingredients, and all product contact surfaces of homogenizers, high pressure pumps, packing glands on agitators, pumps and vats, and lines shall be kept clean. Before use, all equipment coming in contact with milk products or frozen desserts shall have a bactericidal or sanitizing treatment. Equipment not designed for C-I-P cleaning shall be disassembled, thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Biodegradable dairy cleaners, wetting agents, detergents, sanitizing agents, or other similar material that does not adversely affect or contaminate the frozen desserts or ingredients may be used. Steel wool or metal sponges shall not be used to clean any equipment or utensils with product contact surfaces. C-I-P cleaning shall be used only on equipment and pipeline systems designed, engineered, and installed for that type of cleaning. Other equipment and areas in the plant shall be thoroughly cleaned with appropriate methods that prevent potential contamination of ingredients, packaging and frozen desserts. Exhaust stacks, elevators and elevator pits, conveyors and similar facilities shall be inspected and cleaned regularly.

b. Equipment shall be sanitized by using one of the following methods:

a. All frozen desserts mix, except for flavoring agents used in frozen desserts, shall be pasteurized.

b. Frozen desserts mix shall be pasteurized by heating every particle as described in Table 1:

c. Continuous flow pasteurizers, high-temperature-short-time and higher-heat-shorter-time, shall have all public health controls sealed against access and alteration. The seals shall be applied by the Dairy Supervisor or the Supervisor's designee after testing and shall not be removed without immediately notifying the Dairy Supervisor or the Supervisor's designee. The system shall be designed to meet the requirements of the PMO.

d. After pasteurization all mix shall be cooled immediately to 45° F or less and shall be maintained at that temperature until frozen. Milk, cream, and other fluid milk products other than sterilized, evaporated or sweetened condensed milk in hermetically sealed containers shall be stored at 45° F or less.

a. Utensils and equipment. Utensils and portable equipment used in processing, handling, or packaging of frozen desserts shall be stored above the floor in clean, dry locations and in a self-draining position on racks constructed of impervious, corrosion-resistant material.

b. Supplies and containers. Whenever possible, supplies shall be kept in a room separate from the processing, handling, and packaging of frozen desserts and under conditions that result in keeping the materials clean and free from dust, moisture, insects, rodents, or other possible contamination. Supplies shall be arranged to permit cleaning of the area and easy inspection and access. Insecticides and rodenticides shall be plainly labeled, segregated, and stored in a separate room or cabinet away from the edible material or packaging supplies. Caps, parchment papers, wrappers, liners, gaskets, and single-service sticks, spoons, covers, and containers for frozen desserts or ingredients shall be stored only in sanitary tubes, wrappings, or cartons and kept in a clean, dry place until used and shall be handled in a sanitary manner.

c. Raw milk products. Raw products for use in frozen desserts that are conducive to bacterial growth shall be handled and stored to minimize bacterial growth. When stored, raw products shall be maintained at 45° F or lower until processing commences.

d. Non-refrigerated products. Products such as non-fat dry milk and other frozen desserts ingredients that do not require refrigeration for proper storing shall be placed in dry storage to be easily accessible for inspection and removal, and for adequate cleaning of the room. Dunnage, pallets or other similar method of elevation shall be used. Frozen desserts or ingredients shall not be stored with any product that would damage them or impair their quality. Opened containers of ingredients shall be protected from contamination.

e. Refrigerated products. All products that require refrigeration shall, except as otherwise specified, be stored under conditions of temperature and humidity that best maintain quality and condition. Products shall not be stored directly on wet floors or be exposed to foreign odors or conditions such as dripping or condensation that may cause package or product damage.

a. Frozen desserts shall be packaged in commercial containers using packaging material that protects the product from contamination. The packaging, cutting, molding, dispensing, and other handling or preparation of frozen desserts and their ingredients shall be in a sanitary manner. Frozen dessert containers shall be filled at the place of pasteurization using approved mechanical equipment. Existing manual processes may be permitted if done in a manner that prevents all contact surface contamination and is approved by the Dairy Supervisor.

b. Multi-use containers for frozen desserts shall be kept clean and dry. If used for transporting frozen desserts, the containers shall be:

c. Metal cans and containers shall be free from rust and corrosion.

d. Paper and plastic containers, liners, covers, or other materials coming in contact with frozen desserts shall be free from contamination.

e. Single-service containers shall not be reused.

a. The code number assigned by the Dairy Supervisor, identifying the specific manufacturing plant; or

b. The name and address of the frozen dessert manufacturer.