Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 51 - PUBLIC HEALTH-SANITARY CODE › Part VII - Dairy Products Regulations › Chapter 9 - General Requirements for Dairy Plants › Subchapter B - Dairy Plant Construction, Sanitation and Operation › Section VII-929 - Protection from Contamination

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Dairy plant operations shall be so
				  conducted and equipment and facilities located in such manner as to prevent
				  contamination of dairy products, ingredients, packaging materials, equipment,
				  containers and utensils.
B. All
				  milk products or ingredients which have been spilled, overflowed or leaked
				  shall not be used for human consumption.
C. The storage, handling or use of poisonous
				  or toxic materials shall be performed in such a manner as to preclude
				  contamination of milk products, ingredients, packaging materials or product
				  contact surfaces of equipment, containers or utensils. All containers
				  containing poisonous or toxic materials, including cleaning and sanitizing
				  compounds, shall be distinctly and prominently labeled.
D. All equipment and piping containing
				  cleaning solutions/compounds shall be physically separated from equipment
				  containing dairy products.
E. All
				  equipment and piping containing pasteurized food products shall be physically
				  separated from equipment and piping containing unpasteurized food
				  products.
F. Pasteurized dairy
				  products shall not be permitted to come in contact with equipment or piping
				  with which unpasteurized dairy products or non-dairy products have been in
				  contact, unless such equipment has first been properly cleaned and
				  sanitized.
G. All water used to
				  flush pasteurized product out of lines, vessels or equipment shall be
				  pasteurized or treated by other treatment approved by the state health officer
				  with the concurrence of the FDA. All lines, vessels or equipment that have
				  contained water or product that was not pasteurized or treated, as afore
				  provided, shall be cleaned and sanitized prior to use for pasteurized
				  products.
H. The dairy plant shall
				  be used for no other purpose than the processing of dairy products and the
				  operations incident thereto, provided that the state health officer may
				  authorize the processing or handling of products other than dairy products in
				  such a manner as to preclude the contamination of dairy products, product
				  contact surfaces of all equipment, piping or containers.
I. Air under pressure that comes in contact
				  with dairy products or product contact surfaces shall be free from oil, dust,
				  rust, excessive moisture, extraneous materials or odor and shall comply with
				  the requirements for air under pressure contained in the
PMO.
J. Steam that
				  is used in contact with dairy products shall comply with the applicable
				  standards of the
PMO
and be of culinary quality.
K. Equipment and operations shall be so
				  located within the dairy plant as to prevent overcrowding and contamination of
				  product, equipment, containers, packaging materials or ingredients by splash,
				  condensation, manual contact or drippings, spillage or splash from overhead
				  piping, cooling equipment, platforms, etc.
L. Effective insect and rodent control
				  programs shall be conducted. Dogs, cats and other animals or fowl and birds
				  shall not be allowed in the dairy plant.
M. Multi-use containers or equipment used for
				  dairy products, such as milk crates, bossy carts, milk cans, etc., that have
				  been on premises where swine or poultry are kept, or premises where raw poultry
				  or pork products are processed or have been used to store raw poultry or pork
				  products shall not be used in the processing or handling of dairy
				  products.
N. Eggs and raw egg
				  products shall be handled or stored in areas separated from dairy products in
				  such a manner as to preclude contamination of floors, conveyors, cases, etc.,
				  used for dairy products handling or storage, provided, that delivery vehicles
				  are exempt from this requirement when adequate steps are taken to preclude
				  contamination of dairy products or containers/crates from broken eggs or
				  leaking raw egg products.
O. Fork
				  lifts, pallet jacks and other materials handling equipment that have been in
				  contact with driveways, concrete/ground surfaces of the exterior of the dairy
				  plant or have been used in areas where meat, poultry, pork and returned dairy
				  products are handled shall not enter the areas of the dairy plant where dairy
				  products are handled, processed or stored or areas in which containers and
				  equipment are cleaned, sanitized or stored.
P. Entry into each specific area of the plant
				  where dairy products are handled, processed, packaged or stored shall be
				  restricted to personnel whose presence is necessary for conducting, supervising
				  or inspecting operations in that specific area. Training activities may be
				  allowed.
Q. Each entrance into each
				  area where dairy products are handled, processed, packaged, stored or dairy
				  equipment is cleaned shall be provided with footwear baths containing
				  sanitizers that effectively sanitize footwear. These footwear baths shall be so
				  located and maintained in such a manner as to effectively sanitize the footwear
				  of all persons entering these areas. Spray type devices and other devices
				  approved by the state health officer that adequately perform the same function
				  as the footwear baths may be used.
R. Lighting fixtures shall be constructed and
				  installed in such a manner as to preclude the contamination of products,
				  ingredients, packaging material, packaged products or product contact surfaces
				  of equipment.
S. Graded dairy
				  products, not in the final package, shall not be permitted to come in contact
				  with products of a lower grade or with ungraded products or with utensils,
				  piping or equipment which has been in contact with lower grade or ungraded
				  products unless such utensils, piping or equipment have been properly cleaned
				  prior to use for higher graded product.
T. Returned dairy products (dairy products
				  that have left the direct control of the plant that processed them) shall be
				  handled in such a manner that they do not come in physical contact or contact
				  through drippage or spillage with any area in which other products are stored
				  or handled. They shall not come in such contact with any equipment used in the
				  handling of other products. The returned dairy products shall be clearly
				  identified and other prudent measures taken to preclude contamination or
				  integration with wholesome products.
U. All floor drains in areas of the plant
				  used for receiving, processing, handling dairy products and where containers,
				  utensils and equipment are cleaned shall be kept in good repair, cleaned and
				  sanitized at least once each week. Brushes used to clean floor drains should be
				  color coded and said brushes shall not be used for any other purpose.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
					 Promulgated in accordance with the provisions of
					 R.S.
					 40:4(A)(1)(a). Also see
					 R.S.
					 40:5(2)(3)(5)(7)(15)(17) and
					 R.S.
					 40:922.