Operating practices for the commercial manufacturer of frozen food

(a) Handling and storage of materials. (1) Foods. All food ingredients received at the plant shall be wholesome. Storage shall be in rooms completely separate from food preparation and processing operations. Storage conditions shall preclude contamination from rodents, insects and other sources. Temperature of storage shall be in accordance with the following practices: Ingredients requiring refrigeration shall be stored at an air temperature of 40°F. or lower; frozen ingredients shall be stored at an air temperature of 0° or lower. (2) Packaging materials. Storage shall be in rooms completely separate from food preparation and processing operations. Conditions of storage shall preclude contamination from rodents, insects and other sources. (3) General housekeeping. The plant and premises shall be maintained so as to present a neat and orderly appearance at all times. (b) Personnel hygiene. (1) The services of an employee with any open sore or an exposed portion of the body or one afflicted with an infectious or contagious disease shall not be used; provided services of employees with finger cuts, or with bandages, finger cots and similar type coverings may be utilized on the condition that such employee wears rubber gloves. Any employee with an upper respiratory infection shall be assigned duties outside of the areas of food preparation, processing and packaging. (2) Visitors to food preparation, processing and packaging areas shall comply with employee requirements and such visits by unauthorized persons shall be restricted. (c) Practices for employees handling unpackaged food. (1) Employees shall wear head covering and shall keep clothing in a clean condition consistent with the duty being performed. (2) Before beginning work, after each absence from post of duty, and after contact with non-sanitized surfaces, each employee shall: Wash his hands with liquid or powdered soap and warm water dispensed from a foot or elbow operated device; rinse his hands in a chlorinated spray or other approved sanitizing agent; dry his hands with single-service towels. (3) Employees shall minimize hand contact with food products. (4) The use of a common dip bowl or tank is prohibited. (5) If rubber gloves are used, they shall be cleaned and sanitized in accordance with hand washing specifications in subdivision (2) of this section. (6) Using tobacco in any form, chewing gum or eating in rooms where food products are stored, handled or prepared shall not be permitted. (d) Plant and equipment: Sanitation. (1) Plant and equipment shall be clean when put into service. (2) All floors, tables, splash boards, work surfaces, equipment and utensils shall be cleaned and sanitized with approved agents and methods at the close of each shift. Critical areas and all food contact surfaces shall be cleaned and sanitized at least once during each shift. (3) Equipment such as pipes, pumps, fillers and valves shall be dismantled for cleaning and sanitizing; provided approved and effective in-place cleaning and sanitizing methods will be acceptable. (4) A thorough rinse with potable water shall follow any sanitizing operation that has been completed with a chemical sanitizing agent. (e) Preparation and processing. (1) Fans, blowers or air cooling systems shall not move air from raw material or preparation rooms into processing rooms. (2) Only adequately cleaned, prepared raw materials shall be introduced into areas where frozen precooked foods are cooked and subsequently handled in processing operations. (3) Preparatory operations feeding to the packing line shall be so timed as to permit expeditious handling of consecutive packages in production and under conditions to prevent contamination, loss of quality or spoilage. (4) When batter, egg wash or milk wash is an ingredient, it shall be maintained at a product temperature not to exceed 45°F. Cracked or flaked ice used to regerate batters shall meet bacterial standards for potable water. Batter remaining in machines and equipment at cleanup time shall be discarded. (5) Breading materials that have come in contact with batter and have been removed by screening shall be discarded. (6) Food ingredients or mixtures that are capable of supporting rapid bacterial growth shall be maintained either at a product temperature above 160°F. or below 45°F. (7) Cooked food such as meat, poultry, sauces and gravies shall be: (A) Refrigerated or incorporated into the finished product within one hour following preparation; (B) refrigerated within thirty minutes following preparation at an air temperature of 50°F. or less if the product is to be held from one to eight hours after preparation; (C) refrigerated within thirty minutes following preparation such that the internal temperature of the food product will be 40°F., or lower, within two hours of refrigeration if the food product has been comminuted or sliced, or is a liquid, and if the food is to be held more than eight hours. Large solid food components such as those that must be cooled before slicing shall be refrigerated at an air temperature of 40°F. or lower. (8) Trays, pans or other containers of ingredients destined for incorporation into the finished product shall be protected with a clean cover unless these ingredients are used within thirty minutes of preparation. The cover shall not be of porous material. (9) Permanently legible code marks shall be placed on each immediate container or package at the time of packing. Such code marks, as devised by management, shall include the date of packing and the establishment where packed. (10) The packaged product shall be placed in the freezer within thirty minutes of packaging. Placement of packages in cases before freezing is prohibited. (11) Refuse from the food operations shall be promptly placed in containers that are prominently marked "Refuse" and equipped with lids. The handling of refuse shall be done in such a manner as not to constitute a nuisance. All refuse shall be removed from the premises on a daily basis and in such a manner as not to contaminate food products being manufactured within the plant. Refuse containers shall be thoroughly cleaned immediately after each emptying. (f) In-plant freezing. (1) During the freezing cycle products shall be cooled to 50°F. or lower within two hours and to 0°F. or lower within thirty-six hours. (2) Products shall be frozen by approved commercial methods. (3) When necessary, products shall be protected so that dehydration and discoloration will not occur during the freezing cycle. (4) The freezer shall be precooled to an air temperature of 0°F. before loading. However, during loading, the freezer may rise to temperatures above 0°F. for short periods of time. (5) If cold air is used as the freezing medium, the product shall be arranged by staggering the individual items or by employing dunnage, spacers or other suitable methods to permit satisfactory circulation of cold air around the products. The cold air shall be circulated by a positive method; natural air circulation is not satisfactory. (6) The freezer and associated equipment used for handling the product shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition at all times. (7) A suitable indicating or recording instrument shall be used to measure the temperature of the cooling medium (i.e., air, liquid, refrigerated plates or pipe coils). (8) Packaged items are to be frozen in a manner that will result in a minimum amount of bulging or distortion. (9) After the freezing cycle, the frozen product shall be transferred to a storage facility as quickly as possible.