15A NCAC 18A .0157      FACILITY AND EQUIPMENT SANITATION

(a)  The walls and floors in the picking and packing areas shall be kept clean while operating and shall be sanitized at least daily and whenever there is evidence of contamination, such as splatter of crustacea meat or juices.

(b)  All food‑contact surfaces shall be washed, rinsed, and sanitized prior to starting operation each day and whenever there is evidence of contamination, such as splatter of crustacea meat or juices.

(c)  Reusable picking containers and knives shall be washed, rinsed, and sanitized each time crustacea meat is delivered to the packing room.

(d)  Sanitizing methods shall be as follows:

(1)           by steam in a steam chamber or box equipped with an indicating thermometer located in the coldest zone, with exposure to a temperature of 170° F (77° C) for at least 15 minutes or to a temperature of 200° F (93° C) for at least five minutes.

(2)           by immersion for at least one minute in the third compartment in clean hot water at a temperature of at least 170° F (77° C). A thermometer accurate to 3° F (1.5° C) shall be available to the compartment. Where hot water is used for bactericidal treatment, a booster heater that maintains a water temperature of at least 170° F (77° C) in the third compartment at all times when utensils are being washed shall be provided. The heating device may be integral with the immersion compartment.

(3)           by immersion for at least one minute in, or exposure for at least one minute to a constant flow of, a solution containing not less than 100 ppm chlorine residual. Utensils and equipment that have to be washed in place shall be washed, rinsed, and sanitized.

(4)           by other equivalent products and procedures approved in 21 CFR 178.1010 "Sanitizing solutions", which is hereby incorporated by reference including any subsequent amendments and editions. A copy of the reference material can be found at https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=1&SID=17d119b223f9451322279713caa2e6ab&ty=HTML&h=L&mc=true&n=pt21.3.178&r=PART#se21.3.178_11010, at no cost. A testing method or equipment shall be available and used to test chemical sanitizers to ensure minimum prescribed strengths.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-182; 113-221.2; 143B-289.52;

Eff. October 1, 1992;

Readopted Eff. April 1, 2022.