New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 8 - HEALTH
Chapter 13 - SHELLFISH
Subchapter 2 - DEPURATION OF HARD SHELL AND SOFT SHELL CLAMS
Section 8:13-2.1 - Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

"Certified depuration plant operator" (DPO) means a person who is responsible for maintaining complete and accurate records of all depuration processes and controls all critical activities of the depuration plant.

"Critical activities" means and includes all the critical parameters for depurating shellfish, including, but not limited to, the allocation of process containers, the procedures for harvesting and landing of shellfish, treatment of process water, HACCP Plan implementation, standard operating procedures for the depuration process, tank and equipment maintenance, process security and surveillance procedures and equipment, sanitation procedures, and required recordkeeping.

"Depuration" or "depurate" means the process of reducing the pathogenic organisms that may be present in shellstock by using a controlled aquatic environment as the treatment process.

"Depuration plant" means a premises or establishment in which clams obtained from waters officially sanctioned and classified by the Department of Environmental Protection as special restricted or seasonal special restricted are subject to a process of depuration with the proper controls approved by the Department which will render the depurated clams alive, and microbiologically acceptable within the meaning of State rules and regulations.

"Depuration Plant Operations Manual" means a written manual to include all depuration procedures and operations that will be conducted in a depuration plant including identifying individuals responsible for critical control activities and procedures to be employed by the depuration plan, when operations must be discontinued or when critical control activities are not being met.

"Depuration process" means the procedure and equipment by which shellfish harvested from waters officially sanctioned and classified by the Department of Environmental Protection as Special Restricted or Seasonal Special Restricted are treated at a depuration plant for controlled purification.

"Depuration unit" means a tank or series of tanks supplied by a single process water system.

"DPO" means depuration plant operator.

"Fecal coliform" means that portion of the coliform group that will produce gas from lactose in an EC medium or an A-1 multiple-tube procedure liquid medium within 24 (+2) hours in a water bath maintained at 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44.5 degrees + 0.2 degrees Celsius).

"Hard shell clams" means the species Mercenaria mercenaria.

"Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Plan" means a plan that meets the criteria as set forth in 21 CFR § 123.6, as that term is augmented by 21 CFR § 123.28, both of which are incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented.

"Lot" means the number of bushels of clams which have been harvested on a particular day from the same area designated by the Department of Environmental Protection.

"MPN" (most probable number) means a statistical estimate of the number of bacteria per unit volume and is determined from the number of positive results in a series of fermentation tubes.

"Person" means an individual, or a firm, partnership, company, corporation, trustee, association, cooperative, or any public or private entity.

"Process batch" means the number of lots of clams and the identification of each lot used to fill each separate depuration unit. A process batch can be one lot or more but cannot exceed two consecutive days harvest, nor exceed the number of bushels of clams the process tanks are capable of handling.

"Process tank(s)" means the tanks in which the controlled purification process is carried out.

"Process water" means the water in depuration tanks during the time that shellfish are being depurated.

"Sanitize" means an effective bactericidal treatment of clean surfaces of equipment and utensils, to effectively destroy microorganisms, including pathogens.

"Shellfish Resource Recovery Steering Committee" (SRRSC) means designated representatives from the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Health who have regulatory responsibilities for resource recovery programs.

"Soft shell clams" means the species Mya arenaria.

"Total coliform" means all of the aerobic and facultative anaerobic, gram-negative, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped bacilli that ferment lactose broth with gas formation within 48 hours at 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 + 0.5 degrees Celsius).

"Treated clams" means shellfish that have been depurated.

"Turbidity" means particles in water which reduce light transmittance as measured by a nephelometer. Units are usually given as Nephelometric turbidity units or as N.T.U.

"Ultraviolet light ("UV")" means that portion of the light spectrum containing the bactericidal wave lengths centered around 254 nanometers.

"Untreated clams" means shellfish that have not been depurated.

"U.S. Standard Bushel" means United States dry measure of four pecks, or 2150.42 cubic inches.

"Zero hour" ("0 hour") means the time at which a depuration unit becomes full with process water and the last container of the last lot of clams is placed into the tanks for depuration.