La. Admin. Code tit. 51 § VII-2511

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 12, December 20, 2024

Section VII-2511 - Additional Requirements for Cheese Manufacturing Plants that Manufacture, Process or Package Unripened Cheese

A. Dairy plants that manufacture, process or package unripened cheese shall conform with all of the requirements for cheese manufacturing plants contained in this Part and shall conform with the following additional requirements.

1. Milk and milk products used in the manufacture of unripened cheese and related products shall be from a Grade A raw milk for pasteurization source approved by the state health officer.

2. All milk and milk products used in the manufacture of unripened cheese and cheese related products shall be pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized or aseptically processed in accordance with the requirements for pasteurization, ultra-pasteurization or aseptic processing contained in this Part.

3. Milk and milk products including reconstituted milk or milk product shall be pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized or aseptically processed in the plant in which the unripened cheese or cheese related products are manufactured or processed, provided that the state health officer may authorize cheese manufacturing plants that comply with the requirements of §2513 of this Part to manufacture or process unripened cheese or cheese related products from milk or milk products pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized or aseptically processed in other plants.

4. Rooms and compartments. Processing operations with open cheese vats in them shall be separated from other rooms or areas.

a. Processing and packaging rooms shall be adequately ventilated to maintain sanitary conditions, preclude the growth of mold and airborne contaminants, prevent condensation, and to minimize objectionable odors.

b. Starter rooms or areas shall be properly equipped and maintained for the propagation and handling of starter cultures.

c. Coolers shall be equipped with the facilities necessary for maintaining proper temperature and humidity, consistent with GMPs for the applicable product and to prevent contamination of the products.

5. Packaging. Packaging of unripened cheese and cheese related products shall be done in a sanitary manner with mechanical equipment that complies with applicable 3-A Sanitary Standards.

a. Packaging materials for unripened cheese or cheese related products shall provide sufficiently low permeability to air and moisture and shall be resistant to puncturing, tearing, cracking or fragmentation. Any materials used in the package or packaging that has contact with product shall conform with this requirement. Approval of the state health officer shall be obtained for all packaging materials prior to use.

b. Upright open containers and closures shall be protected from contamination by overhead shields.

c. Single service containers and closures and other single service articles for use in contact with dairy products shall be of sanitary design and construction and from sources approved by the state health officer. They shall be stored in their original containers or in equipment designed for storage of single service articles, shall be kept therein in a clean, dry place until used and shall be handled in a sanitary manner.

d. Caps or covers which extend over the lip of the container shall be used on all cups or tubs of two pounds or less.

e. Capping or closing of containers of two pounds or less shall be done in a sanitary manner using mechanical equipment that complies with applicable 3-A Sanitary Standards. Hand capping of such containers shall be prohibited.

f. A date, code or lot number that identifies the date, run or batch from which the contents originated, shall be prominently displayed on each final container (container that will reach the final consumer) of dairy product in indelible ink (or equivalent). The date, code or batch shall be printed on the container or label in such a manner that it cannot be removed, changed or defaced.

6. The cheese manufacturing plant shall:

a. obtain a representative sample of each batch or lot of cheese or related cheese product, manufactured or processed by the plant. Normally, this shall be done by collecting a closed final container of the cheese or the cheese related product, randomly selected, and perform or have a coliform count performed on the sample;

b. perform the sampling procedures and laboratory examination in substantial compliance with the procedures contained in the Standard Methods for the Examination of Dairy Products;

c. record the results of each test and retain the record for a period of one year after the date that the product was produced. These records shall be made available for review by the state health officer;

d. immediately take steps to determine and eliminate the cause when the coliform count of a sample of product exceeds 10 per gm; and

e. maintain a record, for review by the state health officer, of action taken to correct the cause of each coliform count that exceeded 10 per gm. Such records that shall be retained for a period of one year after the date the product was produced.

B. Unripened cheese and cheese related products shall conform with the following bacteriological, chemical and temperature standards:

a. temperature - cooled to 7 ° C (45 ° F) or less prior to final storage and maintained thereat;

b. coliform count - not to exceed 10 per gram; and,

c. pathogens - no pathogenic microorganisms of human significance;

C. During any consecutive six months at least four samples of each type of cheese manufactured or processed by each plant shall be taken by the state health officer and tested for coliform count. The state health officer shall take appropriate regulatory action on violative sample results, as prescribed in §331 of this Part.

La. Admin. Code tit. 51, § VII-2511

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, LR 37:2716 (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.