Wisconsin Administrative Code
Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
ATCP 55-89 - Food, Lodging, and Recreation Safety
Chapter ATCP 70 - Wholesale Food Manufacturing
Subchapter II - General Requirements
Section ATCP 70.16 - Cleaning and sanitizing equipment and utensils; exemptions

(ag) Except as provided in sub. (2) or s. ATCP 70.40, if an operator seeks to clean and sanitize equipment and utensils at a frequency other than that required in s. ATCP 70.14(1), because the equipment and utensils are used with food products, processes, or conditions reducing the risk of foodborne illness or presence of major food allergens, then the operator shall submit to the department, for written approval, an alternate cleaning and sanitizing procedure that includes a monitoring and recording requirement in compliance with s. ATCP 70.18.

(ar) Factors reducing the risk of foodborne illness may include competitive microorganisms, intended use or targeted consumer demographic, inhibitory compounds, temperatures, and any other factors that reduce the risk of pathogenic organism growth or toxin formation.

(b) After review by the department, the proposed process may be denied and the department shall issue a letter of denial. If the alternate cleaning and sanitizing procedure is approved, the department shall issue a letter of approval, applicable for not more than 5 years, which shall be maintained on file at the food processing plant.

(c) If a change is planned for the product or any process that affects the critical factors ensuring the safety of that product, the operator shall inform the department in writing prior to making a change.

(a) Drying equipment.

(b) Cloth-collector systems.

(c) Dry product packaging equipment and storage containers.

(d) Equipment used in brining, aging, curing, and dry product blending processes.

(e) Food contact surfaces of equipment used solely to process foods or food ingredients with low water activity (d 0.85), or foods which are considered non-Potentially Hazardous Food (non-PHF/non-TCS) foods based on (2) (b) Table A or Table B for Potentially Hazardous Food (time/temperature control for safety food) in par. 1-201.10 (B) of ch. ATCP 75 Appendix, such as chocolate, fats and oils, liquid nutritive sweeteners, peanut butter, or similar foods.

(f) Ice makers maintained in a cold/frozen state.

(g) Food contact surfaces of equipment used for brewing or fermentation of alcohol-containing beverages, such as beer brewing or wine fermentation, so long as the operator cleans and sanitizes equipment used following each brewing or fermentation batch.

(h) Surfaces of aseptic processing equipment that contact food after the food has been sterilized, as long as system sterility is maintained. If system sterility is lost, an operator shall clean, sanitize and re-sterilize equipment.

(i) Equipment used for food fermentations such as the manufacture of sauerkraut or cucumber pickles, development of one or more pure bacterial cultures, or development of starter cultures, so long as the operator cleans and sanitizes all equipment following each fermentation batch.

(j) Equipment used for processing of products with a natural pH d 4.0, so long as the operator cleans and sanitizes all equipment at the end of a continuous operation, not to exceed 30 days (720 hours).

(k) Equipment used for maple syrup processing, so long as the operator cleans and sanitizes all equipment at the end of a continuous operation, not to exceed 40 days (960 hours).

(L) Equipment used for bottled water processing, so long as the operator cleans and sanitizes all equipment at the end of a continuous operation, not to exceed 30 days (720 hours).