Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 19, September 20, 2024
A plant shall meet the sanitation inspection standards set
forth in this regulation:
A.
Floor-Construction.
(1) The floor of each
room in which product containers, utensils, equipment, milk, or cheese products
are handled, processed, packaged, stored, or washed shall be:
(a) Constructed of concrete or other equally
impervious and easily cleanable material; and
(b) Smooth, properly sloped, provided with
trapped drains, and kept in good repair.
(2) Floor drains are not required in cold
storage rooms used for storing milk and cheese products when the floor is
sloped to drain to one or more exits.
(3) A storage room for storing dry
ingredients, packaged dry ingredients, and packaging materials may have:
(a) Floor drains; and
(b) Floors constructed of tightly joined
wood.
B. Wall
and Ceiling-Construction. The wall and ceiling of each room in which milk or
cheese products is handled, processed, packaged, or stored shall:
(1) Have a smooth, washable, light colored
surface; and
(2) Be in good
repair.
C. Door and
Window.
(1) The plant shall provide effective
means to prevent access by insects and rodents.
(2) An opening to the outside shall:
(a) Have solid doors or glazed windows;
and
(b) Be closed during weather
conditions that may result in particulate matter entering the
facility.
D.
Lighting and Ventilation. Each room shall be well lit and well ventilated
where:
(1) Milk and cheese products are:
(a) Handled;
(b) Processed;
(c) Packaged; or
(d) Stored; or
(2) Milk containers, utensils, and equipment
are washed.
E. Separate
Room.
(1) There shall be a separate room for:
(a) Receiving farmstead cheese;
(b) Processing farmstead cheese;
(c) Cooling farmstead cheese;
(d) Aging farmstead cheese;
(e) Packaging farmstead cheese; and
(f) Cleaning raw milk cans and containers
brought in from the farm.
(2) A room may not open directly into a
stable or room used for a domestic purpose where:
(a) Milk or a farmstead cheese product is:
(i) Received;
(ii) Handled;
(iii) Processed;
(iv) Stored; or
(v) Packaged; or
(b) Containers, utensils, or equipment are
washed or stored.
(3) A
room shall be of sufficient size for their intended purposes.
(4) Each designated area or room shall be
provided for receiving, handling, and storage of a returned packaged or
farmstead cheese not suitable for sale.
F. Toilet Sewage Disposal Facility.
(1) Each toilet facility shall conform to the
regulations of the local health department.
(2) Each toilet facility may not open
directly into a room where milk or cheese products are processed.
(3) Each toilet facility shall be completely
enclosed and have a tight fitting, self-closing door.
(4) Each dressing room, toilet room, and
fixture shall be:
(a) Kept in a clean
condition;
(b) Kept in good
repair;
(c) Well ventilated;
and
(d) Well lit.
(5) Sewage and other liquid waste
shall be disposed of in a sanitary manner.
G. Water Supply. Water for plant purposes
shall be:
(1) From a supply properly located,
protected, and operated;
(2) Easily
accessible;
(3) Adequate;
and
(4) Of a safe, sanitary
quality.
H. Handwashing
Facility. A hand washing facility shall:
(1)
Provide:
(a) Either:
(i) Hot and cold running water; or
(ii) Warm running water;
(b) Soap; and
(c) Individual sanitary towels.
(2) Be kept in a clean condition
and in good repair.
I.
Plant Cleanliness.
(1) A room shall be kept
clean, neat, and free of evidence of insects and rodents where:
(a) Milk and a farmstead cheese product is:
(i) Handled;
(ii) Processed; or
(iii) Stored; or
(b) Containers, utensils, or equipment are
washed or stored.
(2)
Only equipment directly related to processing operations or the handling of
containers, utensils, and equipment shall be permitted in a room where:
(a) Receiving;
(b) Processing;
(c) Cooling;
(d) Aging;
(e) Packaging;
(f) Bulk milk is stored; or
(g) A cheese product is stored.
J. Sanitary Piping.
(1) The material of a sanitary piping fitting
and connection exposed to milk, cheese products, or liquids drawn into milk and
cheese products shall be:
(a)
Smooth;
(b) Impervious;
(c) Corrosion resistant;
(d) Nontoxic;
(e) Easy cleanable; and
(f) An approved surface for food product
contact.
(2) All piping
shall be in good repair.
K. Construction and Repair of Containers and
Equipment.
(1) A multiuse container and
equipment that milk and a farmstead cheese product comes into contact with
shall be:
(a) Constructed of smooth,
impervious, corrosion resistant, and nontoxic material;
(b) Constructed for ease of cleaning;
and
(c) Maintained in good
repair.
(2) A single
service container, closure, gasket, and other article that milk and a farmstead
cheese product come in contact with shall be:
(a) Nontoxic; and
(b) Manufactured, packaged, transported, and
handled in a sanitary manner.
(3) Articles intended for single service use
may not be reused.
L.
Clean and Sanitation of Containers and Equipment.
(1) The contact surface of a multiuse
container, utensil, and equipment used in the farmstead cheese process from
receiving through packaging shall, before each use, be effectively cleaned and
sanitized.
(2) Sanitization:
(a) May not adversely affect the equipment,
the milk or milk product, or the health of consumers; and
(b) Shall be acceptable to the
Department.
(3) A cloth
used for cheese making shall be cleaned and sanitized at intervals, and in
accordance with the Department.
M. Storage of Cleaned Containers and
Equipment. After cleaning, a multiuse milk or farmstead cheese product
container, utensil, and equipment shall be:
(1) Transported and stored to assure complete
drainage; and
(2) Protected from
contamination before use.
N. Storage of Single Service Containers,
Utensils, and Materials. A wrap, liner, bag, container, gasket, and other
single service article in contact with milk and a farmstead cheese product
shall be:
(1) Purchased and stored in a
sanitary tube, wrapping, or carton;
(2) Kept in a clean, dry place until used;
and
(3) Handled in a sanitary
manner.
O. Protection
from Contamination.
(1) The facility, plant
operation, and equipment shall be located and used in a manner to prevent
contamination of a milk and farmstead cheese product, ingredient, container,
utensil, and equipment.
(2) A milk
or a farmstead cheese product ingredient shall be discarded if:
(a) Spilt;
(b) Overflowing;
(c) Leaking; or
(d) Dropped or has fallen onto an unsanitized
contact surface or nonproduct contact surface.
(3) The processing or handling of a product
other than milk or a farmstead cheese product in the plant, shall be performed
to preclude the contamination of such milk and farmstead cheese
products.
(4) The storage,
handling, and use of a poisonous or toxic material shall be performed to
preclude the contamination of:
(a) A milk and
a farmstead cheese product;
(b) An
ingredient of milk and a farmstead cheese product; or
(c) The product contact surface of a
container, utensil, and equipment.
P. Cross Contamination.
(1) During processing, a pipeline and
equipment used to contain or conduct milk and a farmstead cheese product shall
be effectively separated from each tank or circuit containing cleaning or
sanitizing solutions.
(2)
Separation shall be accomplished by:
(a)
Physically disconnecting a connection point between each tank or circuit
containing a cleaning or sanitizing solution from a pipeline and equipment used
to contain or conduct a milk or farmstead cheese product; or
(b) A method approved by the
Department.
(3) The
farmstead cheese processor shall provide a means to prevent contamination of
milk and a farmstead cheese product, container, utensil, and equipment from
dripping, spillage, and splash from an overhead piping, platform, or
mezzanine.
(4) A product that may
create a public health hazard may not be handled in the plant.
(5) Permission to handle a product other than
farmstead cheese or to conduct an operation in equipment or a room, other than
those designated, shall be provisional and subject to revocation if found
objectionable.
Q. Raw
Milk Cooling and Farmstead Cheese Processing.
(1) Raw milk shall be maintained at 7°C
(45°F) or less until processed.
(2) Farmstead cheese shall meet the
definition of a hard cheese as found in
21 CFR
133.150 which states hard cheese:
(a) Contains not more than 39 percent of
moisture; and
(b) Solids contain
not less than 50 percent of milk fat, as determined by the methods prescribed
in 21 CFR
133.5(a), (b), and
(d).
(3) Farmstead cheese shall be cured at a
temperature of not less than 35 F for not less than 60 days.
R. Personnel Sanitation.
(1) An individual shall wash their hands
thoroughly before commencing a plant function and as often as may be required
to remove soil and contamination.
(2) An employee may not resume work after
visiting the toilet room without thoroughly washing their hands.
(3) An individual shall wear clean outer
garments while engaged in the:
(a) Handling
of raw milk and ingredients;
(b)
Processing of a farmstead cheese product;
(c) Storage of a farmstead cheese
product;
(d) Transportation of a
farmstead cheese product;
(e)
Packaging of a farmstead cheese product; and
(f) Handling of a container, utensil, and
equipment.
(4) An
individual, while engaged in the processing of milk or a farmstead cheese
product, shall:
(a) Wear an adequate hair
covering;
(b) Abstain from tobacco
use;
(c) Wear clean and sanitized
footwear;
(d) Maintain trim and
clean fingernails and not wear false fingernails; and
(e) Abstain from any activity that may
contaminate food.
(5)
The farmstead cheese processor shall ensure that education and training is
provided to an employee in:
(a) Food
processing and handling;
(b)
Personal hygiene; and
(c) Plant
sanitation.
S. Vehicles.
(1) A vehicle used for the transportation of
raw milk and a farmstead cheese product shall be constructed and operated so
that the milk and the farmstead cheese product is maintained at 7°C
(45°F) or less and is protected from contamination.
(2) A vehicle used to transport milk and a
farmstead cheese product may not be used to transport or contain a substance
that may be toxic or harmful to humans.
T. Surroundings. Plant surroundings shall be
kept neat, clean, and free from conditions which:
(1) Attract or harbor flies, other insects,
or rodents; or
(2) Otherwise
constitute a nuisance.