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-2505 - General Information

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A.
				  Cheese manufacturing plants that manufacture, process, cut, slice or package
				  cheese shall conform with all of the basic requirements for cheese
				  manufacturing plants contained in this Part and with the following additional
				  requirements.
1. All cheese and cheese
				  related products shall conform to the standards of identity prescribed by this
				  Part.
2. Written, detailed plans
				  describing the processing of each product shall be submitted to the state
				  health officer for approval prior to manufacture of each product and prior to
				  any product process change.
3. The
				  words "made from unpasteurized milk" shall be prominently displayed on the
				  principal display panel of each container of cheese and cheese related products
				  made from milk in which each particle has not been pasteurized,
				  ultra-pasteurized or aseptically processed in a manner that conforms with the
				  requirements for pasteurization contained in this Part.
4. All containers and packages enclosing
				  cheese and cheese related products shall be labeled in accordance with the
				  applicable requirements of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended,
				  the State Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law (R.S.
				  40:601, et seq.), the Nutrition Labeling and
				  Education Act of 1990, as amended, and the regulations developed thereunder and
				  the requirements for labeling contained in this Part.
5. Whey disposal or use shall conform the
				  following:
a. adequate sanitary facilities
				  shall be provided for the handling and disposal of whey. Necessary precautions
				  shall be taken to minimize flies, insects and objectionable odors;
b. whey or whey products to be used for human
				  food shall be handled in accordance with the applicable provisions of this
				  Part; and
c. whey or whey products
				  to be used as or in Grade A products shall be produced in a cheese
				  manufacturing plant that complies with all applicable requirements for dairy
				  plants that produce Grade A pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized and aseptically
				  processed products contained in Chapter 9. All such whey shall be derived from
				  cheese produced from Grade A raw milk for pasteurization;
6. Cooling of milk and dairy products shall
				  conform with the following:
a. all Grade A
				  raw milk or heat treated products shall be received at 7 ° C (45 ° F) or less
				  and maintained at or below that temperature until processed;
b. all manufacturing grade raw milk (milk for
				  manufacturing purposes) shall not exceed 10 ° C (50 ° F) upon delivery to the
				  dairy plant unless it is delivered to the dairy plant in less than four hours
				  after milking. It shall be cooled immediately upon receipt to 7 ° C (45 ° F) or
				  below and maintained at or below that temperature until processed;
c. whey and whey products in balance
				  (constant level) tanks or hot wells may be allowed to remain at temperatures
				  above 7 ° C (45 ° F) and below 66 ° C (150 ° F) for a period not to exceed four
				  hours of operation provided:
i. when foam is
				  present on the product, the temperature of the foam shall be considered the
				  temperature of the product;
ii. the
				  balance tank or hot well shall be emptied, cleaned and sanitized at least once
				  each four hours of operation; and
iii. dairy products in balance tanks or hot
				  wells at temperatures below 7E C (45 ° F) or above 66 ° C (150 ° F) or above
				  are exempt from this requirement;
d. all pasteurized dairy products, except
				  those to be cultured, shall be cooled immediately after pasteurization in
				  approved equipment, to a temperature of 7 ° C (45 ° F) or less and stored at a
				  temperature of 7 ° C (45 ° F) or less;
e. the temperature of milk or dairy products
				  in delivery vehicles shall not exceed 7 ° C (45 ° F);
f. every room or tank in which dairy products
				  are stored shall be equipped with an approved thermometer;
g. aseptically processed dairy products to be
				  packaged in hermetically sealed containers shall be exempt from the cooling
				  requirement for this item; and,
h.
				  re-circulated water which is used in coolers and exchangers, including systems
				  in which a freezing point depressant is used shall be from a safe source and
				  protected from contamination. Such water shall be tested at the minimum
				  frequencies specified in
				  §2117 of this Part and shall otherwise
				  comply with the requirements of
				  §2117 of this Part. Freezing point
				  depressants, when used, shall be non toxic.