Current through Bulletin 2024-06, March 15, 2024
(1) Small egg
producers that sell to restaurants shall establish a designated work area
separate from domestic living areas.
(a)
Acceptable designated work areas may be an area in the basement, garage, or
outbuilding.
(b) Unacceptable work
areas are domestic living areas, kitchens, laundry rooms, and
bathrooms.
(c) A small egg
producer's designated work area needs a sanitary work surface that is smooth,
durable, and easily cleanable.
(i) The work
surface shall be cleaned and sanitized before each use.
(ii) Any sinks, drain boards, or other
equipment used for the egg handling operation must be cleaned and sanitized
before each use.
(d) A
small egg producer shall keep premises clean and free of rodent harborage
areas.
(i) Designated storage areas needed for
new packaging materials, utensils, and equipment that is used for egg handling
practices. These items shall be protected from contamination, including
moisture, strong odors, dust, and insects.
(ii) Egg handling practices that require
potable water. Individual water wells need an annual bacteriological test,
including coliform bacteria. Commercially bottled water may be used.
(iii) Hand washing stations shall be
conveniently located in the egg handling work area and provided with soap and
paper towels.
(iv) Toilet rooms
shall be accessible to employees.
(v)
(A) A
designated refrigerator is needed.
(B) The refrigerator does not need to be new
or of a commercial type and may be placed in the designated work
area.
(C) The refrigerator shall be
equipped with a suitable thermometer to routinely verify that the 40 degrees
Fahrenheit (F) to 45 degrees F egg storage temperature is maintained.
(2) A small egg producer that sells to
restaurants shall:
(a) ensure each employee
thoroughly washes their hands before starting egg handling and during egg
handling to minimize cross-contamination of cleaned eggs;
(b) maintain clean and dry nest boxes, change
nest material as needed to reduce dirty eggs, and gather eggs at least once
daily;
(c) clean eggs as needed
soon after collecting;
(i) Cleaning eggs
refrigerated below 55 degrees F may cause shells to crack or check.
(ii) Minimal cleaning protects the natural
protective covering on the shell.
(d) ensure employees use acceptable egg
cleaning methods including:
(i) dry cleaning
by lightly sanding the stains or minimal dirty areas with sandpaper;
(ii) using potable water in a hand spray
bottle and immediately wiping dry with a single service paper towel;
or
(iii) briefly rinsing with
running water spray and immediately wiping dry with a single service paper
towel;
(e) ensure that
the wash water is at least 90 degrees F, which is warm to the touch, and at
least 20 degrees warmer than the temperature of the eggs to be washed;
and
(f) refrigerate cleaned eggs
immediately to 45 degrees F or less.
(3) Small egg producers that sell to
restaurants may not use unacceptable cleaning methods, including submerging
shell eggs in water or any other solution or using cleaners that are not food
grade and approved for shell egg cleaning.
(a)
The porous eggshell is not impervious to odors, chemicals, and off
flavors.
(b) The cleaned eggs can
be packaged later.
(4)
Small egg producers that sell to restaurants shall store packaged eggs at 45
degrees F or less.
(5)
(a) Small egg producers that sell to
restaurants shall use clean new packaging purchased online, through group
buying, small farm co-operatives, or similar methods.
(b) Small egg producers that sell to
restaurants shall use self-adhesive attractive labels that include the
information required in Subsection
4-4-108(1).
(6) Small egg producers that sell
to restaurants shall transport refrigerated egg packages, cartons, or both in
an easily cleanable, portable cooler with frozen gel packs to maintain 45
degrees F or less temperature until the small egg producer distributes the eggs
to a restaurant.
(7) Each small egg
producer that sells to restaurants shall allow the department to inspect their
facility upon request or as part of a department of health investigation under
Subsections
4-4-107(2) and
4-4-107(3).
