Section 217.64 - Unloading Stations and Milk Tank Truck Cleaning Facilities(a) Milk tank truck unloading stations. (1) When the milk tank truck unloading station is a receiving station or a milk processing plant, it shall comply with the following sanitation requirements for Grade A pasteurized milk as specified in the "Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance" which is adopted by reference in § 217.2 of this title (relating to Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance): floors; walls and ceilings; doors and windows; lighting and ventilation; toilet-sewage disposal facilities; water supply; hand-washing facilities; milk plant cleanliness; sanitary piping; construction and repair of containers and equipment; cleaning and sanitizing of containers and equipment; storage of cleaned containers and equipment; storage of single service containers, utensils, and materials; protection from contamination; cooling of milk; personnel cleanliness; and surroundings.(2) When the unloading station is a transfer station, it shall comply with all the requirements of a receiving station except that the provisions for walls, ceilings, doors and windows are not required unless climatic and operation conditions interfere with safe handling of the milk. Overhead protection shall be provided in all cases.(3) The pump-out of the milk tank truck shall be done in an area where a cover extends over the complete transport tank or, when climatic and operating conditions require, in a completely enclosed area. Pump-out operations must be protected in such a manner as to prevent product contamination. If the area is not completely enclosed or doors of the unloading area are open during unloading, a suitable filter is required for the manhole or the air inlet vent.(4) The agitating and sampling of the transport tank milk shall be accomplished in such a manner as to provide maximum protection against product contamination. The unloading station shall provide the necessary equipment to adequately agitate the milk in the transport tank. The milk shall be agitated for a minimum of 15 minutes prior to obtaining samples. The department may approve alternative procedures to achieve adequate agitation. Samples shall be collected only by certified milk samplers. In no instance shall agitation and sampling be done at a place other than a location approved by the department.(5) The unloading station shall record the following information on each load of milk received, and maintain these records for a period of not less than 90 days: (A) the date the load was received;(C) the number of pounds in the load;(D) the temperature of the milk upon receipt;(E) the permit number of the milk tank truck delivering the milk;(F) the name of the station operator receiving the milk; and(G) the manifest with the driver's license number of the sample collector.(6) In no case shall milk be received from a milk tank truck that appears to be damaged, dirty, or does not have a current cleaning tag without the permission of the department.(b) Milk Tank Truck Cleaning Facilities. (1) It shall be the responsibility of each unloading station to provide a milk tank truck cleaning facility. The milk tank truck cleaning facility may be an integral part of the unloading station or a separate facility. When the milk tank truck cleaning facility is a separate facility, it shall be located convenient to and in the proximity of the unloading station. All milk tank trucks that transport milk and milk products as permitted by the department, shall be washed and sanitized at a permitted milk plant, receiving station, transfer station, or milk tank truck cleaning facility.(2) The milk tank truck cleaning facility shall comply with the following sanitation requirements for Grade A pasteurized milk unloading stations of the "Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance:" floors; walls and ceilings; doors and windows; lighting and ventilation; toilet-sewage disposal facilities; water supply; hand-washing facilities; milk plant cleanliness; sanitary piping; construction and repair of containers and equipment; cleaning and sanitizing of containers and equipment; storage of cleaned containers and equipment; storage of single service containers, utensils, and materials; protection from contamination; cooling of milk; personnel cleanliness; and surroundings.(3) An unloading station which receives milk in milk tank trucks equipped with permanently installed tank washers will provide a milk tank truck cleaning facility equipped with the following: (A) adequate water heating facilities;(B) tanks of an adequate size to hold the rinse, wash, and sanitizing solution;(C) a wash pump which will deliver the cleaning and sanitizing solution to the milk-contact surface of the milk tank truck at an adequate rate and velocity;(D) a removal pump which will remove rinse and cleaning solutions from the milk tank truck as fast as such solutions are pumped into the milk tank truck;(E) a screening device shall be provided which will prevent the passage of any foreign material into the system that would adversely affect the performance of the spray device(s), and located so as to be easily cleaned and sanitized;(F) a temperature recorder which meets the applicable requirements of the most current revision of the "Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance" shall be provided. In addition, a pressure indicator should be provided. These may be an integral unit or separate units. The temperature sensor should be located in the return solution line. The pressure sensor shall be located in the solution-rinse line downstream from the pressure supply pump. Recording charts shall be properly identified (showing date, permit number of transportation tank cleaned, operator's initials, etc.) and kept on file for not less than 90 days;(G) the necessary equipment shall be provided for the cleaning of transport tank pumps, gaskets, hoses, etc., which do not clean in place (CIP). Equipment shall be provided to clean the hoses by circulation of cleaning solution in conjunction with the clean-out-of-place (COP) vat that is equipped with a temperature recorder which meets the applicable requirements of the most current revision of the "Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance;" however, if an integrated CIP system designed to clean transport tanker, milk pumps, gaskets, hoses and appurtenances, by circulation is provided, the following criteria must be met: (i) a temperature recorder that complies with the applicable requirements of the most current revision of the "Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance" and a pressure recorder shall be provided;(ii) the extended tube holder for cleaning milk hoses and receiving hoses shall be of adequate length to accommodate hoses of 35 feet maximum length;(iii) the CIP system shall provide a cleaning regimen for a pre-rinse, wash, post-rinse and sanitizing of the transport tanker, milk pumps, gaskets, hoses, receiving hose, and appurtenances;(iv) the CIP system shall be capable of a minimum wash temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit and minimum circulation flow rate of five feet per second; and(v) all equipment and utensils shall be in compliance with the standards outlined in the current edition of the 3-A Sanitary Standards and Accepted Practices at the time of installation;(H) all equipment and utensils must be in compliance with the current edition of the 3-A Sanitary Standards and Accepted Practices at the time of installation; and(I) a cleaning regimen shall be established and posted in the milk tank truck cleaning facility. This regimen shall provide for a pre-rinse and sanitizing of the milk tank truck. The wash solution must have a minimum temperature in the return line of 135 degrees Fahrenheit.(4) The department may permit an unloading station to utilize a milk tank truck cleaning facility equipped only with portable tank washing equipment (drop in washers) or with the equipment and personnel necessary for manual tank cleaning, providing the station can demonstrate the capability of effectively cleaning and sanitizing the milk tank trucks. In no case will milk tank trucks equipped with installed tank washers be unloaded into said unloading stations without the permission of the department. This permission will be granted only in emergency situations.(5) The milk tank truck and appurtenances shall be thoroughly cleaned after each use and all equipment shall be thoroughly cleaned at least once each day used. It is allowable to pick up multiple loads continuously within a 24-hour period, provided the milk tank truck is washed after each day's use.(6) The milk tank truck and appurtenances shall be sanitized immediately after washing with an approved sanitizer. The milk tank truck shall be sanitized by pumping the sanitizing solution through the wash-rinse system. When the time elapsed after cleaning and sanitizing, and before its first use, exceeds 96 hours, the tank must be re-sanitized.(7) A cleaning and sanitizing tag shall be affixed to the outlet valve of the milk tank truck until the milk tank truck is next washed and sanitized. When the milk tank truck is washed and sanitized, the previous cleaning and sanitizing tag shall be removed and stored at the location where the milk tank truck was washed for a period of not less than 15 days. The tag shall bear the following information:(A) the milk tank truck permit number;(B) the date and time it was cleaned and sanitized;(C) the name and location of the cleaning station; and(D) the name of the person who cleaned and sanitized the milk tank truck.25 Tex. Admin. Code § 217.64
The provisions of this §217.64 adopted to be effective July 4, 2010, 35 TexReg 3038