La. Admin. Code tit. 51 § VII-2113

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

Section VII-2113 - Cooling of Milk, Milk Products, Whey, Whey Products, and Condensed Dairy Products

A. All raw milk and dairy products shall be maintained at 7 ° C (45 ° F) or less until processed except that acid-type whey with a titratable acidity of 0.40 percent or above, or a pH of 4.6 or below, is exempted from these temperature requirements.

B. All whey and whey products for condensing or drying shall be maintained at a temperature of 7 ° C (45 ° F) or less; or 57 ° C (135 ° F) or greater until processed. Storage tanks containing whey and whey products above 7 ° C (45 ° F) and below 57 ° C (135 ° F) shall be emptied, cleaned and sanitized after each four hours of use or less.

1. Whey and whey products in balance (constant level) tanks or hot wells may be allowed to remain at temperatures above 7 ° C (45 ° F) and below 57 ° C (135 ° F) for a period not to exceed four hours.

2. The balance tank or hot well shall be emptied, cleaned and sanitized at least once each four hours of operation.

3. Whey and whey products in balance tanks or hot wells that are maintained at temperatures of 57 ° C (135 ° F) or above are exempt from the four hour cleaning and sanitizing requirement as long as a continuous flow is maintained (with a retention time not to exceed one hour). All such balance tanks or hot wells shall be cleaned and sanitized at least once every 24 hours.

C. All pasteurized milk and dairy products (including pasteurized whey and condensed dairy products), except those to be dried immediately, shall be cooled immediately in approved equipment to a temperature of 7 ° C (45 ° F) or less. All pasteurized milk and dairy products (including pasteurized whey and condensed dairy products), shall be stored at a temperature of 7 ° C (45 ° F) or less and be maintained thereat until further processing. Whenever pasteurized milk and dairy products are to be condensed and/or dried and storage tanks are used between the condenser and dryer, any such storage tank(s) containing pasteurized milk or milk products (including pasteurized whey and condensed dairy products), stored above 7°C (45°F) and below 57°C (135°F) shall be completely emptied, cleaned, and sanitized after four hours of operation or less.

D. All indicating and recording thermometers shall be calibrated at least once each three-month period and a log indicating each thermometer and recorder calibrated and the initials of the person performing the calibration shall be maintained and made available to the state health officer.

E. All condensed whey and whey products shall be cooled during the crystallization process to 7 ° C (45 ° F) or less, within 72 hours of condensing including the filling and emptying time, unless filling occurs above 57°C (135°F), in which case, the 72 hour time period begins when the cooling is started.

F. Each refrigerated room in which milk, dairy products or whey are stored shall be equipped with an indicating thermometer approved by the state health officer. Such thermometer shall be located in the warmest zone of the refrigerator room.

G. Each storage tank shall be equipped with an indicating thermometer, the sensor of which shall be located to permit the registering of the temperature of the contents when the tank contains no more than 20 percent of its calibrated capacity.

H. All surface coolers shall comply with the following specifications:

1. The section of open-surface coolers shall be so installed as to leave a gap of at least 6.4 millimeters (0.25 inch) between the header sections to permit easy cleaning;

2. Where header ends are not completely enclosed within the cooler covers, condensation or leakage from the headers shall be prevented from entering the product by so shaping the exposed header faces, above and below all gaps, that condensation is directed away from the tubes, and by using deflectors at the bottom of the headers, or by shortening the bottom trough or by some other approved method;

3. The location of supports of cooler sections shall prevent drip from entering the milk or dairy products; and,

4. All open surface coolers shall be provided with tight-fitting shields which protect the product from contamination by flies, dust, drip, splash or manual contact.

I. Re-circulated cooling water which is used in coolers and exchangers, including those systems in which a freezing point depressant is used, shall be from a safe source and protected from contamination. Such water shall be tested at the minimum frequencies specified in §2117 of this Part and shall otherwise comply with the requirements of §2117 of this Part. Re-circulated water systems which become contaminated through repair work or otherwise shall be properly treated and tested before being returned to use. Freezing point depressants, when used in re-circulating systems, shall be non-toxic.

La. Admin. Code tit. 51, § VII-2113

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, LR 37:2700 (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.