Ariz. Admin. Code § 3-2-807

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section R3-2-807 - Frozen Dessert Plant and Processing Standards

A. Plant and Processing Standards.

1. The plant area shall be clean, orderly and free from refuse, rubbish, smoke, dust, air pollution and strong or foul odors originating on the premises. A drainage system shall be provided for the rapid drainage of water away from the building. If unsatisfactory conditions occur in the plant area, with respect to smoke, dust, air pollution, or odors, provision shall be made to protect the frozen desserts and ingredients from contamination.

2. Sewage and industrial waste shall be disposed in accordance with the provisions of the state or county environmental laws. Refuse, unless in appropriate containers, shall not accumulate on the premises.

3. Roads, driveways, yards, and parking areas adjacent to the plant shall be paved or treated to prevent dust and shall be smooth and well drained to prevent accumulation of stagnant liquid.

4. Buildings.

a. The building exterior and interior shall be kept clean and in good repair.

b. In processing and packaging areas, outside doors, windows, skylights, transoms, or other openings shall be protected and operated to preclude the entrance of dust, insects, vermin, rodents, and other animals. Outside doors shall be self-closing wherever practical. Window sills on new construction shall slope inward at least 45-degrees. Outside conveyor openings and other outside openings shall be protected by doors, screens, flaps, fans, or tunnels. Pipes shall be sealed where they extend through exterior walls. Outside pipe openings shall be covered when not in use.

c. Rooms. All rooms, compartments, coolers, freezers, and dry storage space in which any raw material, packaging or ingredient supplies, or finished products are handled, processed, manufactured, packaged, or stored shall be constructed to ensure clean and orderly operations.

i. Boiler and tool rooms shall be separate from rooms where milk products are received, where processing and packaging is done, or where equipment, facilities, and containers are washed and stored.

ii. Toilets and dressing rooms shall be conveniently located and toilets shall not open directly into any room where milk products, ingredients, or frozen desserts are handled, processed, packaged, or stored. Toilet and dressing room doors shall be self-closing. Toilets and dressing rooms shall be well vented to the outer air, and contain hand-washing facilities, hot and cold running water, soap, single-service towels or air dryers. Hand-washing signs shall be posted. Fixtures shall be kept clean and in good repair.

iii. Rooms for receiving milk and other raw ingredients and materials shall be separated from the processing area to avoid contamination of frozen desserts in the processing operations, except that products in cans or other closed containers may be received and transferred to a cooler or other storage without being received in a separate room.

iv. If tank truck deliveries of milk, milk products, or frozen desserts mix are made, other than occasional deliveries, a tank truck room large enough to accommodate the entire truck shall be provided with equipment for cleaning. A covered outside unloading pad may be used for truck tankers with filter dome vents, if washing and sanitizing facilities are provided. If a tank truck room is not located on the premises of an existing plant, facilities for washing and sanitizing tank trucks shall be provided at another location where the washing and sanitizing facility is free from dust and extreme weather conditions.

v. Except for existing processing and packaging rooms, there shall be at least three feet clearance between installations and the wall to prevent overcrowding and to facilitate cleaning. Existing facilities not meeting this requirement shall be permitted if cleaning can be accomplished and permission is obtained from the Dairy Supervisor or the Dairy Supervisor's designee. All processing and packaging rooms shall be equipped with hand-washing facilities including hot and cold running water, soap, single-service towels, or air-dryer.

vi. Refrigeration rooms and units shall be constructed of impervious material and shall be kept clean and sanitary.

vii. Separate rooms shall be provided so that the manufacturing, processing, and packaging are separate from the cleaning and sterilizing of utensils and containers.

viii. No person shall reside or sleep in a frozen desserts plant or in any room connected with it. No animal shall be kept or permitted in a frozen desserts plant.

d. Walls and ceilings shall be constructed of smooth, washable, impervious material. They shall be light-colored, kept clean and sanitary, and refinished when discolored. A darker color material may be used to a height not exceeding 60 inches from the floor.

e. Floors shall be an impervious, smooth-surfaced material that may be flushed clean with water. Except for hardening rooms, floors shall slope 3/16 to 1/4 inch per foot to one or more trapped outlets. No open channel drainage is permitted in new construction or in extensive remodeling of existing plants. Floor drains are not required in freezers used for storing frozen desserts or frozen ingredients. However, the floors shall be sloped to drain to at least one exit and shall be kept clean. Floors in new construction or extensive remodeling shall be joined and coved with the walls to form water-tight joints. Smooth wood floors may only be permitted in rooms where there will be no spillage of product or ingredients, such as rooms where wrapped or packaged frozen products are packed in multiple-pack containers. Toilets and dressing rooms shall have impervious floors and smooth walls.

f. Plumbing shall be installed to prevent back-up of sewage or odors into the plant.

g. All rooms and compartments, including storage space for materials, ingredients, and packages, and toilets and dressing rooms, shall be ventilated to maintain sanitary conditions, and to minimize or eliminate condensation and odors.

h. Lighting, whether natural or artificial, shall be well distributed in all rooms and compartments. Light bulbs and fluorescent tubes shall be protected so that broken glass cannot fall into any product or equipment.

i. Rooms where frozen desserts are handled, processed, manufactured, or packaged, or where equipment or utensils are washed, shall have at least 30 footcandles of light on all working surfaces;

ii. Areas where dairy products are examined for condition and quality shall have at least 50 footcandles of light; and

iii. All other rooms shall have at least 20 footcandles of light 30 inches above the floor.

i. Containers for collecting and holding waste other than dry waste paper and other dry packaging material shall be constructed of metal or other impervious material, covered with tight-fitting lids or covers, and emptied or disposed of daily or at least once during the shift. Clothing, tools, equipment, and other material not used with the frozen desserts operations shall not accumulate in the work areas or in the storage rooms.

j. A room or other space separate from any room or space where milk products or frozen desserts are received, handled, processed, packaged, or stored, shall be provided where employees may change and store clothing. This area shall contain hand-washing facilities, with hot and cold running water, soap or other detergents, and single-service towels or air dryers. Self-closing containers shall be provided for used towels and other wastes.

k. Approval of plans. Plans shall be submitted to the Dairy Supervisor, for any new or remodeled frozen dessert manufacturer, to be reviewed for compliance with this Section. The Dairy Supervisor may allow variances to the requirements in this Section, if protection from contamination is provided for all products handled.

5. Water and steam.

a. Potable hot and cold water shall be available in sufficient quantity for all plant operations and facilities. Non-potable water may be used for boiler feed and condenser water, if the water lines are separated from the water lines carrying the potable water supply and the equipment is constructed to preclude contamination of any product or product contact surface. If water for washing frozen desserts equipment and utensils and for use in rehydration or as an ingredient in any frozen desserts is obtained from other than a regulated municipal supply, a bacteriological examination shall be made of the water supply at least once every six months by a laboratory acceptable to the Dairy regulatory program to determine potability. If the examination indicates contamination of the water supply, a device shall be installed to eliminate the contamination.

b. If steam is used, it shall be provided in sufficient volume and pressure for the operation of equipment or for sterilization, or both. Steam that comes in contact with frozen desserts, ingredients, or with the product contact surface, shall be steam of culinary quality as prescribed in Appendix H, Part III, Culinary Steam - Milk and Milk Products, of the PMO.

6. Equipment and utensils.

a. New equipment shall meet applicable 3-A Sanitary Standards. All equipment, including connections, coming in contact with frozen desserts or ingredients during processing, manufacturing, handling, or packaging, shall be made of stainless steel. No equipment shall be permitted that is rusted, corroded, or in any other condition that may result in contamination of the frozen desserts. Non-metallic parts with product contact surfaces shall consist of material that meets 3-A Sanitary Standards for Plastic or Rubber and Rubber-like Materials or shall be of plastic approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Equipment, apparatus, and piping shall be easily accessible for cleaning and shall be kept in good repair and free from cracks and corroded surfaces. Stationary equipment, including welded sanitary lines and apparatus that permit in-place-cleaning, may be used if prior approval from the Dairy Supervisor has been obtained. C-I-P piping and welded sanitary pipeline systems shall be permitted if engineered and installed according to 3-A Accepted Practices for Permanently Installed Sanitary Product and Solution Pipelines and Cleaning Systems. If rigid pipelines are not practical, plastic pipelines listed in the 3-A Accepted Practices may be used. Product pumps shall be sanitary and easily dismantled for cleaning or shall be constructed to allow C-I-P procedures. All parts of interior surfaces of equipment, pipes (except C-I-P piping), or fittings, including valves and connections shall be accessible for inspection. The Dairy Supervisor may require other equipment, apparatus or piping if stationary equipment, apparatus or piping cannot or is not being effectively cleaned-in-place.

b. Equipment for storage and distribution of liquid sweetening agents shall be constructed of metals, alloys, or other material that will withstand corrosive action by the ingredient. The equipment and the ingredients shall be protected from contamination.

c. Pasteurizing equipment shall meet the standards prescribed in the PMO and 3-A Accepted Practices for Sanitary Construction, Installation, Testing and Operation of High-Temperature-Short-Time Pasteurizers and 3-A Sanitary Standards for Non-Coiled Type Batch Pasteurizers. Batch-type pasteurizers shall be provided with close-coupled outlet valves protected against leakage and shall be equipped with thermometers that record the information of each day's operation on separate charts. Air space thermometers and indicating thermometers shall be provided to check the recording thermometers. The recording thermometer chart shall contain the date, the identity of the pasteurizing number, the batch and product name, and the signature of the employee responsible for this information. The record shall be kept on file at the plant for at least six months. The accuracy of the recording thermometer shall be checked daily using the indicating thermometer and the time and temperature shall be documented on the recording chart. Chart recorders and thermometers for batch pasteurizers shall be tested and sealed by the Dairy Supervisor or the Supervisor's designee after testing and seals shall not be removed without immediately notifying the Dairy Supervisor or the Supervisor's designee.

d. Every plant shall contain hardening rooms, refrigerating rooms, or refrigerated cabinets with space for storage of frozen desserts and perishable ingredients.

e. All utensils used in the receiving, storing, processing, manufacturing, packaging, and handling of frozen desserts or any ingredients shall be of smooth, stainless steel, or plastic listed in the 3-A Accepted Practices and shall have flush seams. Utensils that are badly worn, rusted, or corroded or that cannot be rendered clean and sanitary by washing shall not be used. Lead solder shall not come in contact with milk or milk products or frozen desserts.

7. Cleaning and sanitizing.

a. Cleaning and sanitizing. Equipment, sanitary piping and utensils used in receiving, storing, processing, manufacturing, packaging, and handling frozen desserts and ingredients, and all product contact surfaces of homogenizers, high pressure pumps, packing glands on agitators, pumps and vats, and lines shall be kept clean. Before use, all equipment coming in contact with milk products or frozen desserts shall have a bactericidal or sanitizing treatment. Equipment not designed for C-I-P cleaning shall be disassembled, thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Biodegradable dairy cleaners, wetting agents, detergents, sanitizing agents, or other similar material that does not adversely affect or contaminate the frozen desserts or ingredients may be used. Steel wool or metal sponges shall not be used to clean any equipment or utensils with product contact surfaces. C-I-P cleaning shall be used only on equipment and pipeline systems designed, engineered, and installed for that type of cleaning. Other equipment and areas in the plant shall be thoroughly cleaned with appropriate methods that prevent potential contamination of ingredients, packaging and frozen desserts. Exhaust stacks, elevators and elevator pits, conveyors and similar facilities shall be inspected and cleaned regularly.

b. Equipment shall be sanitized by using one of the following methods:

i. Using 180° F water for at least two minutes.

ii. Using steam under pressure for at least two minutes or until all parts of the equipment being sanitized have reached 180° F, or the condensate off the equipment remains at 180° F for at least two minutes.

iii. Using chlorine with a residual of at least 50 ppm after one minute contact with equipment, or if sprayed, with a residual of at least 100 ppm after five minutes.

iv. Using any other sanitizing substance prescribed in Appendix F of the PMO.

8. Pasteurization and cooling.

a. All frozen desserts mix, except for flavoring agents used in frozen desserts, shall be pasteurized.

b. Frozen desserts mix shall be pasteurized by heating every particle as described in Table 1:

Table 1
Batch (Vat) Pasteurization
Temperature	Time
69ºC (155ºF)	30 minutes
Continuous Flow (HTST) Pasteurization
Temperature	Time
80ºC (175ºF)	25 seconds
83ºC (180ºF)	15 seconds
89ºC (191°F)	1.0 seconds
90ºC (194°F)	0.5 seconds
94ºC (201°F)	0.10 seconds
96ºC (204°F)	0.05 seconds
100ºC (212°F)	0.01 seconds

c. Continuous flow pasteurizers, high-temperature-short-time and higher-heat-shorter-time, shall have all public health controls sealed against access and alteration. The seals shall be applied by the Dairy Supervisor or the Supervisor's designee after testing and shall not be removed without immediately notifying the Dairy Supervisor or the Supervisor's designee. The system shall be designed to meet the requirements of the PMO.

d. After pasteurization all mix shall be cooled immediately to 45° F or less and shall be maintained at that temperature until frozen. Milk, cream, and other fluid milk products other than sterilized, evaporated or sweetened condensed milk in hermetically sealed containers shall be stored at 45° F or less.

i. Refrigerated vehicles or approved insulated containers shall be used when transporting frozen desserts mix from the manufacturing or other plant to a retail manufacturer, and

ii. Mix shall be moved from coolers or refrigeration units in a manufacturing plant to freezers by using pipes, tubing, or other means listed in the Permanently Installed Product and Solution Pipelines and Cleaning Systems Used in Milk and Milk Product Processing Plants section of the 3-A Accepted Practices.

9. Storage.

a. Utensils and equipment. Utensils and portable equipment used in processing, handling, or packaging of frozen desserts shall be stored above the floor in clean, dry locations and in a self-draining position on racks constructed of impervious, corrosion-resistant material.

b. Supplies and containers. Whenever possible, supplies shall be kept in a room separate from the processing, handling, and packaging of frozen desserts and under conditions that result in keeping the materials clean and free from dust, moisture, insects, rodents, or other possible contamination. Supplies shall be arranged to permit cleaning of the area and easy inspection and access. Insecticides and rodenticides shall be plainly labeled, segregated, and stored in a separate room or cabinet away from the edible material or packaging supplies. Caps, parchment papers, wrappers, liners, gaskets, and single-service sticks, spoons, covers, and containers for frozen desserts or ingredients shall be stored only in sanitary tubes, wrappings, or cartons and kept in a clean, dry place until used and shall be handled in a sanitary manner.

c. Raw milk products. Raw products for use in frozen desserts that are conducive to bacterial growth shall be handled and stored to minimize bacterial growth. When stored, raw products shall be maintained at 45° F or lower until processing commences.

d. Non-refrigerated products. Products such as non-fat dry milk and other frozen desserts ingredients that do not require refrigeration for proper storing shall be placed in dry storage to be easily accessible for inspection and removal, and for adequate cleaning of the room. Dunnage, pallets or other similar method of elevation shall be used. Frozen desserts or ingredients shall not be stored with any product that would damage them or impair their quality. Opened containers of ingredients shall be protected from contamination.

e. Refrigerated products. All products that require refrigeration shall, except as otherwise specified, be stored under conditions of temperature and humidity that best maintain quality and condition. Products shall not be stored directly on wet floors or be exposed to foreign odors or conditions such as dripping or condensation that may cause package or product damage.

10. Notification of change in products to be manufactured. Any person manufacturing only frozen desserts with butterfat, or only frozen desserts with fats other than butterfat, and uses the other type of fat shall first notify the Dairy Supervisor.

11. Clearing lines and equipment. If the same equipment is used for processing, pasteurizing, and packaging frozen desserts made with dairy products and frozen desserts made with vegetable fats, oils, or proteins, any remaining product shall be completely removed from the lines and equipment and sanitized before introducing another product into the lines and equipment. All equipment and lines shall be sanitized either at the end or beginning of each day's operations.

12. Packaging and containers.

a. Frozen desserts shall be packaged in commercial containers using packaging material that protects the product from contamination. The packaging, cutting, molding, dispensing, and other handling or preparation of frozen desserts and their ingredients shall be in a sanitary manner. Frozen dessert containers shall be filled at the place of pasteurization using approved mechanical equipment. Existing manual processes may be permitted if done in a manner that prevents all contact surface contamination and is approved by the Dairy Supervisor.

b. Multi-use containers for frozen desserts shall be kept clean and dry. If used for transporting frozen desserts, the containers shall be:

i. Rinsed immediately after emptying,

ii. Cleaned upon return to the plant, and

iii. Protected from contamination during storage.

c. Metal cans and containers shall be free from rust and corrosion.

d. Paper and plastic containers, liners, covers, or other materials coming in contact with frozen desserts shall be free from contamination.

e. Single-service containers shall not be reused.

B. Personnel.

1. Plant employees shall wash their hands before beginning work and upon returning to work after using toilet facilities, eating, smoking, or otherwise soiling their hands. Employees shall keep their hands clean and follow good hygienic practices while on duty. Expectorating or using tobacco in rooms or compartments where frozen desserts or ingredients are exposed is prohibited. Clean, white, or light-colored, washable outer garments shall be worn by all employees engaged in handling dairy products, mix or frozen desserts. Hair coverings for head and facial hair shall be worn by all employees engaged in the processing, pasteurizing, packaging, handling, and storage of frozen desserts, product containers, and utensils.

2. Frozen desserts shall be handled so that there is no direct contact between an employee's hands and the product.

3. A person who has a discharging or infected wound, sore or lesion on hands, arms or other exposed portions of the body shall not work in any plant processing or packaging room or in any capacity resulting in contact with milk products or frozen desserts or equipment used in the processing or handling of milk products or frozen desserts. An employee returning to work following illness from a communicable disease shall provide a certificate from a physician attesting to the employee's complete recovery before processing or handling milk products or frozen desserts.

C. Quality standards.

1. Milk products used in the manufacture of frozen desserts shall meet the following standards:

Product	Standard Plate Count Not to Exceed
Raw Milk	500,000 per ml.
Pasteurized Milk	50,000 per ml.
Raw Cream	500,000 per ml.

Pasteurized Cream 100,000 per ml.

2. Butter, 80% cream, plastic cream, mixtures of butterfat, sugar or sweetening agent, moisture and flavoring, condensed milk, mixes and all other similar products shall meet the following standards:

Bacterial Standards	Not to Exceed
Standard Plate Count	50,000 per gram
Coliform Count	20 per gram
Yeast Count	50 per gram
Mold Count	50 per gram

3. Powdered non-fat dry milk, dry whey, and dry buttermilk shall meet the PMO standards.

4. Fats and oils other than from milk shall meet the standards of the United States Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act as amended, or those of any applicable state regulation for fats and oils of food grade standards.

5. Frozen desserts in broken or opened containers or in containers from which the product has been partially used may be returned to the plant for examination but shall not be used or sold for making frozen desserts.

6. All reconstituted frozen desserts shall be pasteurized before packaging.

D. Labeling.

1. All packages of frozen desserts, including cans or other containers of frozen desserts mix but not including frozen desserts packaged in accordance with a customer's request and in the presence of the customer, shall be labeled as prescribed in the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended.

2. Each frozen dessert package shall contain:

a. The code number assigned by the Dairy Supervisor, identifying the specific manufacturing plant; or

b. The name and address of the frozen dessert manufacturer.

E. License suspension. The Dairy Supervisor may suspend the license of a frozen dessert plant whenever the bacteria count, coliform determination, yeast or mold count exceeds the quality standards for frozen desserts in three out of the last five samples taken on separate days. In addition, the Dairy Supervisor may suspend the permit of a frozen dessert plant for failure to comply with any of the provisions of this Section.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R3-2-807

Adopted effective December 7, 1976 (Supp. 76-5). Amended effective December 5, 1977 (Supp. 77-6). Section R3-2-807renumbered from R3-5-07 (Supp. 91-4). Amended effective December 2, 1998 (Supp. 98-4). Amended by final rulemaking at 26 A.A.R. 781, effective 6/8/2020.