109. SAFE FOOD PRACTICES

109 SAFE FOOD PRACTICES 109.1 The owner of a cottage food business should apply, at a minimum, the following safe food practices, which help to limit the potential for foodborne illnesses: (a) Proper Handwashing (1) Authorized persons involved with the preparation, packaging or handling of cottage food products should clean their hands and exposed portions of their arms before starting food processing, and after any activity that might contaminate their hands; and (2) Liquid soap, paper towels, and water warm to the touch should be used for handwashing, and should be available at the handwashing sink at all times. (b) Bare-Hand Contact with Ready-to-Eat Foods Bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods shall be avoided. Single-service gloves, bakery paper, tongs, or other utensils should be used when handling ready-to-eat foods. (c) Hair Restraint and Clean Outer Garments Hair restraints and clean outer garments must be worn by all persons in the home kitchen during processing, preparation, packaging, or handling of cottage food products. (d) Eating, Drinking, or Smoking Owners of a cottage food business or persons under the owner’s direct supervision should not eat, drink, or smoke or engage in any smoking activity (including but not limited to any form of tobacco, any form of hookah, any form of marijuana, or use of any e-cigarette) in the home kitchen during processing, preparation, packaging, or handling of cottage food products. (e) Preventing Contamination When Tasting Owners of a cottage food business or persons under the owner’s direct supervision should not use a utensil more than once to taste any cottage food product. (f) Personal Health Owners of a cottage food business or persons under the owner’s direct supervision should not process, prepare, package or handle cottage food products if they have any of the following symptoms: (1) Diarrhea; (2) Vomiting; (3) Jaundice; (4) Sore throat with fever; or (5) Lesion containing pus, unless protected by an impermeable cover. (g) Unauthorized Persons Owners of a cottage food business or persons under the owner’s direct supervision are the only persons authorized to be in the kitchen while producing, packaging or handling cottage food products. (h) Food Contact Surfaces The food-contact surfaces of all utensils and equipment should be clean to the sight and touch before beginning processing cottage food products, and cleaned often while in use to limit the potential for contamination of the food or the ingredients. (i) Proper Storage of Ingredients and Finished Products Ingredients for cottage food products and the finished food products should be stored separately from all residential foods and food supplies, and in a manner that will prevent contamination from the premises and non-authorized persons. (j) Proper Use and Storage of Chemicals (1) Personal care items, as defined in Section 991, should not be stored or allowed in the home kitchen unless stored in such a manner that does not allow contamination of food products or food-contact surfaces; (2) Spray bottles containing cleaning solutions should be labeled with the name of the solution; (3) Pest control chemicals should not be used or stored in the home kitchen, in order to prevent contamination of food products and food-contact surfaces. (k) Pests Pests should not be present in the home kitchen. This area should be kept clean to prevent harborage of pests, and the premises should allow for easy visual inspection of pest activity. (l) Pets Pets are not allowed in the home kitchen at any time during the preparation, packaging or handling of cottage food products. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 64 DCR 13555 (December 29, 2017). District of Columbia Municipal Regulations Food Operations and Community Hygiene Facilities: Cottage Food Regulations 25-K DCMR § 109