01-001-329 Me. Code R. § V

Current through 2024-44, October 30, 2024

Section 001-329-V - STANDARDS FOR MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS

A. PROCESSING STANDARDS:

ALL MILK PRODUCTS: All Grade A raw milk or milk products for pasteurization, ultra-pasteurization or aseptic processing and packaging and all Grade A pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized or aseptically processed and packaged milk and milk products must be produced, processed, manufactured and pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized or aseptically processed and packaged to conform with the following chemical, bacteriological and temperature standards, and the sanitation requirements of this section. Milk and milk products not pasteurized, must be produced and processed to conform with the following chemical, physical, bacteriological and temperature standards, and the sanitation requirements of this section (see Table 1).

No process or manipulation other than pasteurization, ultra-pasteurization, aseptic processing and packaging; processing methods integral there with; along with appropriate refrigeration may be applied to milk and milk products for the purpose of removing or deactivating microorganisms. Filtration and/or bactofugation processes must be performed in the milk plant in which the milk or milk product is pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized or aseptically processed and packaged. Milk for aged cheese is exempt from this requirement.

CHEESE: All cheese products, except for aged cheese, must be made from milk that has been heat-treated or pasteurized. Heat-treated means processed by heating every particle of milk to a temperature of 145ºF for at least thirty (30) minutes. All cheese products may list heat-treated milk as an ingredient on the label. All cheese products that are not pasteurized must be labeled as "not pasteurized" in accordance with Section XIV.

BULK SHIPPED PRODUCTS: When the raw milk is used to make cream, non-fat (skim) milk, reduced fat or low-fat milk, which will be bulk shipped for separation purposes, is heated one time, to temperatures greater than 52°C (125°F), but less than 72°C (161°F), the resulting bulk shipment(s) of cream, non-fat (skim) milk, reduced fat or low-fat milk must be labeled heat-treated. In the case of heat-treated cream, the cream may be further heated to less than 75°C (166°F) in a continuing heating process and immediately cooled to 7°C (45°F) or less when necessary for enzyme deactivation (such as lipase reduction) for a functional reason.

WHEY: Whey must be from cheese made from Grade "A" raw milk for pasteurization as provided in this Rule.

Whey must be from:

1. Cheese made from Grade "A" raw milk for pasteurization, which has been pasteurized prior to use, in accordance with Item 16p of the PMO, or

2. Cheese made from Grade "A" raw milk for pasteurization, which has been heat-treated to a temperature of at least 64°C (147°F) and held continuously at that temperature for at least twenty one (21) seconds or to at least 68°C (153°F) and held continuously at that temperature for at least fifteen (15) seconds, in equipment meeting the pasteurization requirements provided for in this Rule. Provided, that this requirement shall not be construed as barring any other heat treatment process which has been recognized by the FDA to be equally efficient in the destruction of staphylococcal organisms and which is approved by the Department.

BUTTERMILK: Buttermilk must be from butter made from Grade "A" cream, which has been pasteurized prior to use in accordance with Item 16p of the PMO. Provided, that this requirement shall not be construed as barring any other heat treatment process which has been recognized by the FDA to be equally efficient in the destruction of staphylococcal organisms and which is approved by the Department.

B. CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL, BACTERIOLOGICAL, AND TEMPERATURE STANDARDS - TABLE 1

Table 1. Chemical, Physical, Bacteriological, and Temperature Standards
GRADE "A" RAW MILK PRODUCTS FOR PASTEURIZATION, ULTRA-PASTEURIZATION OR ASEPTIC PROCESSING AND PACKAGING	Temperature....	Cooled to 10 °C (50°F) or less within four (4) hours or less, of the commencement of the first milking, and to 7°C (45°F) or less within two (2) hours after the completion of milking. Provided, that the blend temperature after the first milk and subsequent milkings does not exceed 10°C (50°F). NOTE: Milk sample submitted for testing must be cooled and maintained at 0°C (32°F) to 4.5°C (40°F), where milk temperature of the sample source is >4.5°C (40°F), but <=7°C (45°F) and less than three (3) hours after collection has not increased in temperature.
	Bacterial Limits...	Individual producer milk not to exceed 100,000 colony forming units (cfu) per mL prior to commingling with other producer milk. Not to exceed 300,000 cfu per mL as commingled milk prior to pasteurization. NOTE: Tested in conjunction with the drug residue/inhibitory substance test.
	Drugs....	No positive results from drug residue detection methods as referenced in Section VI of the PMO, Methods of Analysis.
	Somatic Cell Count*	Individual producer milk not to exceed 750,000 or current PMO standard per mL.
GRADE "A" PASTEURIZED MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS AND BULK SHIPPED HEAT-TREATED MILK PRODUCTS	Temperature....	Cooled to 7°C (45ºF) or less and maintained thereat. NOTE: Milk sample submitted for testing cooled and maintained at 0ºC (32ºF) to 4.5ºC (40ºF), where milk temperature of the sample source is >4.5ºC (40ºF), but <=7.0ºC (45ºF) and less than three (3) hours after collection has not increased in temperature.
	Bacterial Limits**....	Not to exceed 20,000 per mL, or gm.*** NOTE: Tested in conjunction with the drug residue/inhibitory substance test.
	Coliform *****....	Not to exceed 10 per mL. In the case of bulk milk transport tank shipments, must not exceed 100 per mL. NOTE: Tested in conjunction with the drug residue/inhibitory substance test.
	Phosphatase*****....	Less than 350 milliunits/L for fluid products and other milk products by FDA/NCIMS approved electronic phosphatase procedures.
	Drugs**....	No positive results on drug residue detection methods as referenced in Section VI of the PMO, Methods of Analysis which have been found to be acceptable for use with pasteurized milk and milk products.
ASEPTICALLY PROCESSED MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS	Temperature....	None
	Bacterial Limits**....	No growth by test specified in Section VI of the PMO.
	Drugs**....	No positive results on drug residue detection methods as referenced in the PMO, Section VI Methods of Analysis which have been found to be acceptable for use with aseptically processed milk and milk products.
MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS (NOT PASTEURIZED) SOLD TO CONSUMERS	Temperature....	Cooled to 7°C (45ºF) or less and maintained thereat.
	Bacterial Limits**....	50,000 per Ml
	Coliform *****....	Not to exceed 10 per mL
	Drugs**....	No positive results on drug residue detection methods as referenced in Section VI Methods of Analysis which have been found to be acceptable for use with not pasteurized milk and milk products.
AGED CHEESE	Temperature....	Aged cheese must be aged at a temperature above 35°F
GRADE "A" PASTEURIZED (UP) MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS	Temperature....	Cooled to 7°C (45ºF) or less and maintained thereat.
	Bacterial Limits**....	Not to exceed 20,000 per mL, or gm.***
	Coliform....	Not to exceed 10 per mL. Provided, that in the case of bulk milk transport tank shipments, must not exceed 100 per mL
	Phosphatase....	Phosphatase testing of UP milks is not required.
	Drugs**....	There are no validated and accepted drug residue tests for ultra-pasteurized milk and milk products
GRADE "A" PASTEURIZED CONCENTRATED (CONDENSED) MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS	Temperature....	Cooled to 7°C (45°F) or less and maintained thereat unless drying is commenced immediately after condensing.
	Coliform....	Not to exceed 10 per gram. Provided, that in the case of bulk milk transport tank shipments must not exceed 100 per gram.
GRADE "A" NONFAT DRY MILK AND DRY MILK AND DRY MILK PRODUCTS	Bacterial Estimate....	Not to exceed: 10,000 per gram
	Coliform....	Not to exceed: 10 per gram
GRADE "A" WHEY FOR CONDENSING AND/OR DRYING	Temperature....	Maintained at a temperature of 45°F (7°C) or less, or 57°C (135°F) or greater, except for acid-type whey with a titratable acidity of 0.40% or above, or a pH of 4.6 or below.
GRADE "A" PASTEURIZED CONDENSED WHEY AND WHEY PRODUCTS	Temperature....	Cooled to 10°C (50°F) or less within 72 hours of condensing during crystallization
GRADE "A" PASTEURIZED CONDENSED WHEY AND WHEY PRODUCTS	Coliform Limit....	Not to exceed 10 cfu per gram.
GRADE "A" DRY WHEY, GRADE "A" DRY WHEY PRODUCTS, GRADE "A" DRY BUTTERMILK, AND GRADE "A" DRY BUTTERMILK PRODUCTS	Coliform Limit....	Not to exceed 10 cfu per gram.
SINGLE SERVICE CONTAINER MANUFACTURERS	Bacterial Limits....	The residual bacteria count must not exceed 50 cfu per container, except that in containers less than 100 mL, the count must not exceed ten (10) cfu
SINGLE SERVICE CONTAINER MANUFACTURERS	Coliform....	Zero (0) Coliform
MULTI-USE CONTAINERS	Bacterial Limits....	The residual bacteria count must not exceed 1 cfu per mL of capacity.
MULTI-USE CONTAINERS	Coliform....	Zero (0) Coliform
SOURCE WATER	Coliform	<1 by MMO-MUG (Minimal Medium ONPG - 4 methylumbelliferyl beta D-glucuronidase) Presence/Absence Method
RECIRCULATING WATER	Coliform	<1 by Most Probable Number Method or <1 by LTB (Lauryl Tryptose Broth) Presence/Absence Method (Single Tube)

* Goat Milk 1,500,000/mL, Sheep Milk 750,000/mL

** Not applicable to acidified or cultured products, eggnog and flavored (non-chocolate) milk and milk products.

*** Results of the analysis of dairy products which are weighed in order to be analyzed will be reported in # per gm. (Refer to the current edition of the SMEDP.)

**** Not applicable to UP products that have been thermally processed at or above 1380C (2800F) for at least two (2) seconds to produce a product which has an extended shelf life (ESL) under refrigerated conditions; and condensed products.

*****Not applicable to bulk shipped heat-treated milk products.

01-001 C.M.R. ch. 329, § V