La. Admin. Code tit. 51 § VII-943

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

Section VII-943 - Cleaning and Sanitization of Containers and Equipment

A. All multi-use containers and equipment used in the processing, handling, storage or transportation of milk and dairy products shall be properly cleaned after each use and shall be cleaned at least once each 24 hours of use, provided:

1. storage tanks shall be cleaned each time they are emptied and shall be emptied at least every 72 hours;

2. storage tanks used to store raw milk or heat treated milk products longer than 24 hours and silo tanks used to store raw milk or heat treated milk products shall be equipped with a seven-day temperature recording device complying with the requirements for such devices contained in the PMO and shall be approved by the state health officer prior to installation;

3. upon review of information provided by the milk plant supporting the cleaning of multi-use containers and equipment at frequencies extending beyond the 24 hour requirement, the state health officer may with the concurrence of the FDA, on a case by case basis, authorize cleaning intervals greater than 24 hours;

4. records shall be available to the state health officer to verify that storage tanks have been properly cleaned at least once each 72 hours or at the frequency established by the state health officer in concurrence with the FDA.

B. Milk and milk product pipelines and equipment designed for mechanical CIP cleaning shall meet the following requirements.

1. An effective cleaning and sanitization regimen that shall be followed for each separate cleaning and sanitization operation shall be posted near the cleaned -in-place equipment controls.

2. A temperature recording device complying with the requirements for such recording device contained in the PMO and approved by the state health officer shall be installed in the cleaning and sanitizing solution return line or other area, approved by the state health officer with the concurrence of the FDA, to record the temperatures and times during which the line or equipment is exposed to cleaning and sanitizing solutions. The state health officer may require that pressure gauges, other instruments or logs be provided to verify that cleaning and sanitization was properly performed.

3. Charts/records/logs used to verify proper cleaning and sanitizing shall be retained for a minimum of three months.

4. During each inspection of the cleaning and sanitizing operations of each plant, the state health officer shall examine and initial a representative sample of each type of charts/records/logs to verify that the operations were conducted in accordance with the posted cleaning and sanitization regimens.

C. All multi-use containers and equipment shall be effectively sanitized before first use by means approved by the state health officer. Assembled equipment shall be sanitized prior to each first use.

D. Piping, equipment and containers used to process, conduct or package aseptically processed milk and dairy products beyond the final heat treatment process, shall be sterilized before any aseptically milk or milk product is packaged and shall be re-sterilized whenever any unsterile product has contaminated it.

E. Multi-use milk crates and bossy carts shall be properly cleaned and sanitized before each use and before being brought into any area of the plant where milk and dairy products are pasteurized, processed, cooled or packaged.

F. Cleaning procedures; including solution mixing directions, strengths, testing procedures, temperature requirements, circulation times, etc., shall be posted adjacent to all equipment used to clean or sanitize dairy equipment.

G. The posted procedures shall be followed in the cleaning and sanitization of the equipment.

La. Admin. Code tit. 51, § VII-943

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, LR 37:2678 (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.