WAC 246-215-03306. Preventing food and ingredient contamination — Packaged and unpackaged food — Separation, packaging, and segregation (FDA Food Code 3-302.11)

(1) A food must be protected from cross contamination by: (a) Except as specified in (a)(iv) of this subsection, separating raw animal foods during storage, preparation, holding, and display from: (i) Raw ready-to-eat food including other raw animal food such as fish for sushi or molluscan shellfish , or other raw ready-to-eat food such as fruits and vegetables; (ii) Cooked ready-to-eat food ; (iii) Fruits and vegetables before they are washed; and (iv) Frozen, commercially processed and packaged raw animal food may be stored and displayed with or above frozen, commercially processed and packaged, ready-to-eat food . (b) Except when combined as ingredients, separating types of raw animal foods from each other such as beef, fish , lamb, pork, and poultry during storage, preparation, holding and display by: (i) Using separate equipment for each type; or (ii) Arranging each type of food in equipment so that cross contamination of one type with another is prevented; and (iii) Preparing each type of food at different times or in separate areas. (c) Cleaning equipment and utensils as specified under WAC 246-215-04605 (1) and sanitizing as specified under WAC 246-215-04710 ; (d) Except as specified under WAC 246-215-03520 and subsection (2) of this section, storing the food in packages, covered containers, or wrappings; (e) Cleaning hermetically sealed containers of food of visible soil before opening; (f) Protecting food containers that are received packaged together in a case or overwrap from cuts when the case or overwrap is opened; (g) Storing damaged, spoiled, or recalled food being held in the food establishment as specified under WAC 246-215-06415 ; and (h) Separating fruits and vegetables, before they are washed as specified under WAC 246-215-03318 from ready-to-eat food . (2) Subsection (1)(d) of this section does not apply to: (a) Whole, uncut, raw fruits and vegetables and nuts in the shell, that require peeling or hulling before consumption; (b) primal cuts , quarters, or sides of raw meat or slab bacon that are hung on clean, sanitized hooks or placed on clean, sanitized racks; (c) Whole, uncut, processed meats such as country hams, and smoked or cured sausages that are placed on clean, sanitized racks; (d) food being cooled as specified under WAC 246-215-03520 ; or (e) shellstock .