La. Admin. Code tit. 7 § V-1215

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

Section V-1215 - Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding Activities

A. If a covered produce farm grows, harvests, packs, or holds produce that is not covered in this part (i.e., excluded produce in accordance with 21 CFR § 112.2) and also conducts such activities on covered produce, and the excluded produce is not grown, harvested, packed or held in accordance with this Chapter, measures shall be taken during these covered activities, as applicable, to:

1. keep covered produce separate from excluded produce, except when covered produce and excluded produce are placed in the same container for distribution; and

2. adequately clean and sanitize, as necessary, any food contact surfaces that contact excluded produce before using such food contact surfaces for covered activities on covered produce.

B. All reasonably necessary measures shall be taken to identify, not harvest, covered produce that is reasonably likely to be contaminated with a known or reasonably foreseeable hazard, including steps to identify and not harvest covered produce that is visibly contaminated with animal excreta. At a minimum, identifying and not harvesting covered produce that is reasonably likely to be contaminated with, or that is visibly contaminated with, animal excreta requires a visual assessment of the growing area and all covered produce to be harvested, regardless of the harvest method used.

C. Harvested covered produce shall be handled during covered activities in a manner that protects against contamination with known or reasonably foreseeable hazards.

D. Dropped covered produce shall not be distributed. Dropped covered produce is covered produce that drops to the ground before harvest. Dropped covered produce does not include root crops that grow underground, crops that grow on the ground, or produce that is intentionally dropped to the ground as part of harvesting.

E. Covered produce shall be packaged in a manner that prevents the formation of Clostridium botulinum toxin if such toxin is a known or reasonably foreseeable hazard.

F. Food-packing material that is adequate for its intended use shall be used, which includes being:

1. cleanable or designed for single use; and

2. unlikely to support the growth or transfer of bacteria.

G. If food-packing material is reused, adequate steps shall be taken to ensure that food contact surfaces are clean.

La. Admin. Code tit. 7, § V-1215

Promulgated by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Office of Animal Health and Food Safety, LR 48399 (3/1/2022).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 3:921, R.S. 3:922, and R.S. 9:923.