California Code of Regulations › Title 3 - Food and Agriculture › Division 2 - Animal Industry › Chapter 1 - Dairies › Article 14 - Official and Approved Testing Methods and Protocols › Section 513.5 - Operation of Infrared Instruments

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
(a) The
				  following shall govern the determination of milk components by Infrared (IR)
				  instrumentation:
(1) Persons testing raw milk
				  by means of IR instrumentation shall hold a tester's license for IR and work
				  under the supervision of personnel also licensed for IR testing, and
				  responsible for all aspects of component payment testing at the
				  facility.
(2) Each day the IR
				  instrument is used, a check (pilot) sample warmed according to section
				  15.121 of the
				  17th Edition of Standard Methods for the Examination
				  of Dairy Products, which is incorporated by reference, with the temperature
				  verified and recorded prior to testing, shall be analyzed at start-up and once
				  every hour thereafter. The pilot sample can be a commercially prepared pilot
				  sample, UHT whole milk, pasteurized whole milk, or raw milk or similar matrix.
				  The pilot sample shall be handled, prepared, and tested in the same manner as
				  producer payment samples. The pilot sample component values will be determined
				  by averaging several instrument readings, after having cleaned and zeroed the
				  instrument. The average instrument readings for each component will be used as
				  the baseline to compare the daily start-up and hourly pilot samples. The
				  results shall be recorded in the permanent log book, in accordance with
				  subsection (a)(5). The component values on the pilot samples shall be less than
				  or equal to 0.04% of the original base line values. If any component value on a
				  pilot sample exceeds the original base line value by more than 0.04%, the
				  instrument shall be cleaned and zeroed, and a fresh pilot sample shall be run.
				  If any of the pilot sample components still deviate from the baseline values by
				  more than 0.04% the instrument will be considered to be malfunctioning, and all
				  payment samples analyzed since the last acceptable pilot sample shall have
				  their results reported using the averaging procedures outlined in section
				  525(e) of this
				  article. In the event of instrument malfunction further testing must be done by
				  alternate official final action methods, or acceptable methods of comparable
				  accuracy. If the laboratory cannot perform the above methods, payment samples
				  must be sent to another payment laboratory for analysis. The laboratory
				  management shall submit a letter to the Department's Milk and Dairy Food Safety
				  Branch identifying the alternate official final action methods and/or alternate
				  laboratory that shall be used to analyze payment samples in the event of
				  instrument malfunction, and update the letter as circumstances
				  change.
(3) Samples of raw milk
				  which are high in acidity, coagulated, or churned may not be tested by
				  IR.
(4) If at any time the tester
				  licensed to make milk component determinations by IR has reason to believe the
				  results obtained are biased or inaccurate, all further testing must be done by
				  alternate official final action methods listed in Food and Agricultural Code
				  section 32921, or by acceptable methods of
				  comparable accuracy, or the samples shall be tested by another payment
				  laboratory until the bias is eliminated.
(5) The recommendations provided in the
				  Instruction Manual of the manufacturer for calibration, sample preparation,
				  operation, routine maintenance, daily instrument checks, and cleaning shall be
				  followed, unless otherwise instructed in writing by a representative of the
				  Department. A permanent log book shall be maintained that records the results
				  of all pilot samples, as well as information pertaining to any adjustments made
				  to the instrument (i.e. maintenance, calibration changes, daily instrument
				  checks, and any other work done on the instrument). The log book shall be
				  available for review by the Department upon request.
(6) The volume of the test portion shall be
				  sufficient to make an original test and a retest. This volume may vary by
				  instrument depending on the individual instrument volume uptake
				  settings.
(7) The power input to
				  the IR instrument shall be standardized by a constant voltage
				  regulator.
(8) The IR instrument
				  must be operated in an air-conditioned room where the temperature does not
				  exceed 80°F.