N.J. Admin. Code § 8:24-4.1

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 8:24-4.1 - Materials for construction and repair

(a) Materials that are used in the construction of utensils and food-contact surfaces of equipment shall not allow the migration of deleterious substances or impart colors, odors, or tastes to food and under normal use conditions shall be safe; durable, corrosion-resistant, and nonabsorbent, sufficient in weight and thickness to withstand repeated warewashing; finished to have a smooth, easily cleanable surface; and resistant to pitting, chipping, crazing, scratching, scoring, distortion, and decomposition.

(b) Cast iron shall not be used for utensils or food-contact surfaces of equipment, except as specified below:

1. Cast iron may be used as a surface for cooking.

2. Cast iron may be used in utensils for serving food if the utensils are used only as part of an uninterrupted process from cooking through service.

(c) Copper may be used as specified below:

1. Copper and copper alloys such as brass shall not be used in contact with a food that has a pH below six such as vinegar, fruit juice, or wine or for a fitting or tubing installed between a backflow prevention device and a carbonator, except as specified in (c)2 below.

2. Copper and copper alloys may be used in contact with beer brewing ingredients that have a pH below 6 in the prefermentation and fermentation steps of a beer brewing operation such as a brewpub or microbrewery.

(d) Galvanized metal shall not be used for utensils or food-contact surfaces of equipment that are used in contact with acidic food.

(e) Sponges shall not be used in contact with cleaned and sanitized or in-use food-contact surfaces.

(f) Pewter alloys containing lead in excess of 0.05 percent shall not be used as a food-contact surface.

(g) Solder and flux containing lead in excess of 0.2 percent shall not be used as a food-contact surface.

(h) Wood may be used as specified below:

1. Wood and wood wicker shall not be used as a food-contact surface, except as specified in (h)2, 3, and 4 below.

2. Hard maple or an equivalently hard, close-grained wood may be used for the following purposes:

i. Cutting boards; cutting blocks; bakers' tables; and utensils such as rolling pins, doughnut dowels, salad bowls, and chopsticks; and

ii. Wooden paddles used in confectionery operations for pressure scraping kettles when manually preparing confections at a temperature of 230 degrees Fahrenheit or above.

3. Whole, uncut, raw fruits and vegetables, and nuts in the shell may be kept in the wood shipping containers in which they were received, until the fruits, vegetables, or nuts are used.

4. If the nature of the food requires removal of rinds, peels, husks, or shells before consumption, the whole, uncut, raw food may be kept in:

i. Untreated wood containers; or

ii. Treated wood containers if the containers are treated with a preservative that meets the requirements specified in Preservatives for wood, 21 CFR § 178.3800, incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented.

(i) Multiuse kitchenware, such as frying pans, griddles, sauce pans, cookie sheets, and waffle bakers that have a perfluorocarbon resin coating, shall be used with nonscoring or nonscratching utensils and cleaning aids.

(j) Non food-contact surfaces of equipment that are exposed to splash, spillage, or other food soiling or that require frequent cleaning shall be constructed of a corrosion-resistant, nonabsorbent, and smooth material.

(k) Materials that are used to make single-service and single-use articles:

1. Shall be safe and clean; and

2. Shall not:

i. Allow the migration of deleterious substances; or

ii. Impart colors, odors, or tastes to food.

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:24-4.1