Section 18 AAC 31.222 - Food protection: food and ingredients(a) The operator of a food establishment shall take measures to prevent contamination of food by other food and food ingredients during receiving, storage, preparation, holding, and display and shall (1) protect food containers that are received packaged together in a case or overwrap from cuts when the case or overwrap is opened;(2) protect food from cross-contamination by separating(A) raw animal food during storage, preparation, holding, and display from raw, ready-to-eat food and cooked, ready-to-eat food;(B) except when combined as ingredients, types of raw animal foods from each other during storage, preparation, holding, and display by (i) using separate equipment for each type or arranging each type of food in equipment so that cross-contamination of one type with another is prevented; and(ii) preparing each type of food at different times or in separate areas;(C) stored products held by the operator for credit, redemption, or return to the distributor, such as damaged, spoiled, or recalled products from food, food-contact surfaces, linens, or single-service or single-use articles; and(D) vegetables or fruit before it is washed as specified in (7) of this subsection from ready-to-eat food;(3) cover food during storage using packages, containers, or wrappings, except(A) quarters, sides, or large cuts of raw meat or slab bacon that are hung on clean, sanitized hooks or racks if no part of the meat touches walls, floors, boxes, or shelving, and food is not stored under the meat;(B) whole, uncut, raw fruits and vegetables and nuts in the shell, that require peeling or hulling before consumption;(C) whole, uncut, processed meats, including country hams and smoked or cured sausages, that are placed on clean, sanitized racks;(D) molluscan shellfish; or(E) food being cooled, as specified under 18 AAC 31.234;(4) store and display food and containers of food(A) at least six inches above the floor on storage or display shelving or equipment in a clean, dry location where the food is not exposed to splash, dust, or other contamination, except that (i) food in cases, or large containers of packaged food, such as flour and sugar, 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; and(ii) large, impervious, covered containers or cases of food, metal beverage containers, and food packaged in cans, glass, or other sealed, waterproof containers need not be elevated if the container is not exposed to floor moisture and the floor is clean; and(B) in a location that will not cause contamination; a location that may cause contamination includes a locker room, toilet room, dressing room, garbage room, 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;(5) label containers holding food or food ingredients that are removed from the original package for use in the food establishment with the common name of the food, except molluscan shellfish subject to 18 AAC 31.200 and containers holding food that can be readily and unmistakably recognized;(6) prevent contamination from ice by ensuring (A) packaged food is not stored in direct contact with ice or water if the food is subject to the entry of water because of the nature of its packaging, wrapping, or container or its positioning in the ice or water;(B) except for whole, raw fruits and vegetables, and cut, raw vegetables and tofu, unpackaged food is not stored in direct contact with undrained ice; raw poultry or raw seafood that is received immersed in ice in shipping containers may remain in that condition while in storage awaiting preparation, display, service, or sale;(C) ice used to cool the exterior surfaces of food, packaged food, food containers, or food-contact surfaces is not served to consumers or otherwise used as food; and(D) ice for use as food or as a cooling medium is made from potable water;(7) except for whole, raw fruits and vegetables that are intended for washing by the consumer before consumption, wash raw fruits and vegetables thoroughly with potable water to remove soil and other contamination before those fruits and vegetables are cut, combined with other ingredients, cooked, served, or offered for human consumption in a ready-to-eat form;(8) prevent contamination from whole eggs that have not been pasteurized; and(9) clean hermetically sealed containers of food or visible soil before opening.(b) The operator of a food establishment shall ensure that food is protected from contamination that may result from adulteration due to the addition of an unsafe or unapproved food additive or an unsafe or unapproved level of an approved food additive.(c) The operator of a food establishment, except a food processing establishment subject to 18 AAC 31.700 - 18 AAC 31.770, shall ensure that (1) a sulfiting agent is not applied to fresh fruits and vegetables intended for raw consumption; and(2) fresh fruits and vegetables intended for raw consumption that have been treated with a sulfiting agent before receipt by the food establishment are not served or sold in the establishment, except that grapes that have been treated with a sulfiting agent before receipt may be served or sold.Eff. 12/28/2006, Register 180Authority:AS 17.20.005
AS 17.20.020
AS 17.20.040
AS 17.20.072
AS 17.20.180
AS 17.20.290
AS 44.46.020