Section 18 AAC 31.425 - Protection of clean itemsThe operator of a food establishment shall ensure that clean items are dried, reassembled, stored, displayed, and handled in a manner that prevents contamination of the clean items by ensuring that
(1) after washing, rinsing, and sanitizing, as specified in 18 AAC 31.422 - 18 AAC 31.424, equipment and utensils are (A) before use, adequately drained, as specified in 40 C.F.R. 180.940, adopted by reference in 18 AAC 31.011; or(B) air-dried before contact with food, except that utensils that have been air-dried may be polished with a cloth that is kept clean and dry;(2) if wiping cloths are air-dried after laundering, the cloths are air-dried in a location and in a manner that prevents contamination of food, food-contact surfaces, linens, or single-service or single-use articles or the cloths;(3) equipment is reassembled so that food-contact surfaces are not contaminated;(4) equipment lubricants are applied so that food-contact surfaces are not contaminated;(5) clean equipment and utensils, laundered linens, and single-service and single-use articles are stored in a clean, dry location(A) at least six inches above the floor on storage shelving, except that items kept in closed packages may be stored on dollies, skids, or open-ended pallets if that equipment is easily movable by hand or with the use of pallet-moving equipment that is available on the premises at all times;(B) where the items are not exposed to splash, dust, or other contamination, except that laundered linens and single-service or single-use articles that are packaged or in a cabinet may be stored in a locker room; a location that may cause contamination includes a locker room, toilet room, dressing room, garbage room, or mechanical room, or under an exposed sewer line, an open stairwell, a leaking refrigeration condenser, or a leaking or dripping waterline, including a leaking automatic fire sprinkler head or under a line on which water has condensed;(C) for clean equipment and utensils, covered or inverted in a self-draining position that allows air drying; and(D) for single-service and single-use articles, in the original protective package or stored by using other means that afford protection from contamination until used;(6) single-service and single-use articles and cleaned and sanitized utensils are handled, displayed, and dispensed so that contamination of food- or lip-contact surfaces is prevented, including ensuring that(A) knives, forks, or spoons that are not pre-wrapped, either multi-use or single-service, are presented so that only the handles are touched by employees or by consumers if consumer self-service is provided; and(B) except as specified in (A) of this paragraph, single-service articles that are intended for food- or lip-contact are furnished for consumer self-service with the original individual wrapper intact or from a dispenser;(7) soiled tableware is removed from consumer eating and drinking areas and handled so that clean tableware is not contaminated; and(8) if tableware is pre-set,(A) each exposed, unused setting is (i) removed when a consumer is seated; or(ii) washed, rinsed, and sanitized, as specified in 18 AAC 31.422 - 18 AAC 31.424, before further use if the settings are not removed when a consumer is seated; or(B) tableware is protected from contamination by wrapping, covering, or inverting the tableware.Eff. 5/18/97, Register 142; readopt 12/19/99, Register 152; am 12/28/2006, Register 180Effective 12/19/99, Register 152, the Department of Environmental Conservation readopted 18 AAC 31.425, without change, to affirm the validity of that section following statutory amendments made in ch. 72, SLA 1998. Chapter 72, SLA 1998 relocated department authority to adopt regulations in 18 AAC 31 from AS 03.05 to AS 17.20.
Authority:AS 17.20.005
AS 17.20.020
AS 17.20.072
AS 17.20.180
AS 17.20.290
AS 44.46.020