La. Admin. Code tit. 51 § VII-2107

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section VII-2107 - Cleaning and Sanitizing of Containers and Equipment

A. The product contact surfaces of all multi-use containers and equipment used in the processing, drying, storing, handling and transporting of milk, milk products, dairy products, whey, whey products, condensed or dry milk and buttermilk shall be properly cleaned and sanitized before each use. Each dairy plant that condenses, concentrates, dries or blends dry dairy products shall develop and implement effective cleaning and sanitizing programs based upon the recommendations of the manufacturer of the equipment and the recommendations contained in the PMO, Appendix F. Each dairy plant handling dry or blended dry dairy products shall be equipped with a heavy duty industrial type vacuum cleaner, so designed as not to recontaminate the atmosphere for cleaning areas in which powder accumulates.

B. Non-product contact surfaces of utensils and equipment shall be kept clean.

C. Effective cleaning and sanitizing regimen instructions, including solution mixing directions, solution strength requirements, testing and recording procedures, temperature requirements, circulation times and all other pertinent information necessary to properly clean and sanitize equipment, shall be posted adjacent to all equipment used in cleaning and sanitizing dairy equipment.

D. The posted procedures and instructions shall be followed in the cleaning and sanitization of dairy equipment.

E. Storage tanks shall be cleaned and sanitized when emptied and shall be emptied at least every 72 hours provided, that the state health officer may with the concurrence of FDA authorize an interval greater than 72 hours, determined on a case by case basis.

F. Drying equipment, blending equipment, cloth-collector systems, packaging equipment and multi-use dry dairy products and dry whey storage containers shall be cleaned at intervals and by methods recommended by the manufacturer or the PMO, Appendix F and approved by the state health officer. Such methods may include cleaning without water by use of vacuum cleaners, brushes or scrapers; such equipment and brushes shall be used exclusively for cleaning product contact surfaces. After cleaning, such equipment is sanitized by a method approved by the state health officer. Cloth collector systems and all dry product contact surfaces downstream from the dryer shall be sanitized or purged at intervals and by methods recommended by the manufacturer and approved by the state health officer. Sanitary single service outer clothing and shoe covers shall be provided for personnel and worn exclusively when it is necessary to enter the interior of the dryer to perform the cleaning operation.

G. Storage bins or totes used to transport dry products shall be dry cleaned after each usage and wet-cleaned and sanitized at regular intervals.

H. Pipelines and equipment designed for mechanical cleaning shall meet the following requirements:

1. operating instructions shall be posted near the cleaning equipment and shall be followed;

2. a temperature recording device, complying with the requirements contained in the PMO or a recording device which has been approved by the FDA and found to provide sufficient information to adequately evaluate the cleaning and sanitizing regimen and which is approved by the state health officer, shall be installed in the return solution line or other appropriate area to record the temperature and time during which the line or equipment is exposed to cleaning and sanitizing solutions;

3. pipelines and equipment designed for automated mechanical cleaning of evaporators shall have a pH recording device in the return lines to record the pH and time which the line or equipment is exposed during cleaning and sanitizing operations. These charts shall be identified, dated and initialed by the operator and maintained for three months;

4. temperature and pH recording charts shall be signed, dated and retained for three months;

5. during each inspection, the state health officer shall examine and initial a representative sample of each type of temperature recording charts to verify the time of exposure to solutions and their temperatures.

I. All multi-use containers, equipment, and utensils shall be sanitized before use, employing one or a combination of the following methods or any other method which has been demonstrated to be equally efficient and has been approved by the state health officer:

1. exposure to an enclosed jet of steam for not less than one minute;

2. complete immersion in hot water at a temperature of at least 77 ° C (170 ° F), for at least five minutes or exposure to a flow of hot water at a temperature of at least 77 ° C (170 ° F), as determined by use of a suitable accurate thermometer located at the outlet, for at least five minutes;

3. exposure to hot air at a temperature of at least 83 ° C (180 ° F) for at least 20 minutes as measured by an acceptable indicating thermometer located in the coldest zone;

4. complete immersion for at least one minute in, or exposure for at least one minute to a flow of a chemical sanitizer of acceptable strength. All product-contact surfaces must be wetted by the sanitizing solution, and piping so treated must be filled. Sanitizing sprays may be used. Chemical solutions, once used, shall not be reused for sanitizing but may be reused for other purposes approved by FDA. Assembled equipment shall be sanitized prior to each day's run;

5. All thermometers and temperature recorders shall be calibrated at least once every three-month period and a log identifying the thermometers calibrated, date and the initials of the person performing the calibration shall be maintained and made available to the state health officer; and

6. All other monitoring devices and equipment such as metal detectors, etc., shall be calibrated at the frequency recommended by the manufacturer and a log identifying the device or equipment calibrated, date calibrated, the name and initials of the person performing the calibration shall be maintained and made available to the state health officer.

La. Admin. Code tit. 51, § VII-2107

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, LR 37:2699 (September 2011).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 40:4(A)(1)(a). Also see R.S. 40:5(2)(3)(5)(7)(15)(17) and R.S. 40:922.