Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 51 - PUBLIC HEALTH-SANITARY CODE › Part VII - Dairy Products Regulations › Chapter 25 - Cheese Manufacturing Plants › Subchapter A - Supplemental Requirements for Cheese Manufacturing Plants › Section VII-2509 - Additional Requirements for Pasteurized Process Cheese Manufacturing Plants

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. All
				  pasteurized process cheese and cheese related products shall conform with the
				  standards of identify contained in the Code of Federal Regulations.
B. Dairy plants that manufacture, process or
				  package process cheese or cheese related products shall conform with all of the
				  requirements for cheese manufacturing plants contained in this Part and shall
				  conform with the following additional requirements:
1. Milk used in the manufacture of
				  pasteurized process cheese and cheese related products shall be derived from
				  Grade A raw milk for pasteurization or manufacturing grade raw milk for
				  pasteurization from a source approved by the state health officer
2. Milk and milk products used in the
				  manufacture of pasteurized process cheese or cheese related products shall be
				  pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized or aseptically processed in accordance with the
				  requirements for pasteurization or ultra-pasteurization contained in this
				  Part.
3. Conveyors shall be
				  constructed of material which can be properly cleaned, will not rust, or
				  otherwise contaminate the cheese and shall be maintained in good
				  repair.
4. The grinders or
				  shredders used in the preparation of the trimmed and cleaned natural cheese for
				  the cookers shall be adequate in size. Product contact surfaces shall be of
				  corrosion resistant material, and of such construction as to prevent
				  contamination of the cheese and to allow thorough cleaning of all parts and
				  product contact surfaces.
5. The
				  cookers shall be the steam jacketed or direct steam type. They shall be
				  constructed of stainless steel or other equally corrosion-resistant material.
				  All product contact surfaces shall be readily accessible for cleaning. Each
				  cooker shall be equipped with an indicating thermometer, and shall be equipped
				  with a temperature recording device. The recording thermometer stem may be
				  placed in the cooker. Steam check valves on direct steam type cookers shall be
				  mounted flush with cooker wall, be constructed of stainless steel and designed
				  to prevent the backup of product into the steam line, or the steam line shall
				  be constructed of stainless steel pipes and fittings which can be readily
				  cleaned. If direct steam is applied to the product only culinary steam shall be
				  used.
6. The hoppers of all fillers
				  shall be covered but the cover may have sight ports. If necessary, the hopper
				  may have an agitator to prevent buildup on side walls. The filler valves and
				  head shall be kept in good repair and capable of accurate
				  measurements.
7. The natural cheese
				  shall be cleaned free of all nonedible portions. Paraffin and bandages as well
				  as rind surface, mold, or unclean areas or any other part which is unwholesome
				  or unappetizing shall be removed.
8. Each batch of cheese within the cooker,
				  including the optional ingredients shall be thoroughly commingled and the
				  contents pasteurized at a temperature of at least 70 ° C (158 ° F) and held at
				  that temperature for not less than 30 seconds. Care shall be taken to prevent
				  the entrance of cheese particles or ingredients after the cooker batch of
				  cheese has reached the final heating temperature. After holding for the
				  required period of time, the hot cheese shall be emptied from the cooker as
				  quickly as possible.
9. Containers,
				  either lined or unlined, shall be assembled and stored in a sanitary manner to
				  prevent contamination. The handling of containers by filler crews shall be done
				  with extreme care and observance of personal cleanliness. Performing and
				  assembling of pouch liners and containers shall be kept to a minimum and the
				  supply rotated to limit the length of time exposed to possible contamination
				  prior to filling.
10. Hot fluid
				  cheese from the cookers may be held in hot wells or hoppers to assure a
				  constant and even supply of processed cheese to the filler or slice former.
				  Filler valves shall effectively measure the desired amount of product into the
				  pouch of containers in a sanitary manner and shall cut off sharply without drip
				  or drag of cheese across the opening. An effective system shall be used to
				  maintain accurate and precise weight control. Damaged or unsatisfactory
				  packages shall be removed from production, and the cheese may be salvaged into
				  sanitary containers, added back to cookers and recooked prior to
				  repackaging.