Pennsylvania Code › Title 7 - AGRICULTURE › Part III - Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services › Subpart B - Liquid Foods › Chapter 59a - MILK SANITATION › Subchapter E - MANUFACTURING PLANTS › GENERAL REQUIREMENTS › Section 59a.303 - Facilities

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
(a)
Water
						supply.
There must be an ample supply of both hot and cold water of
						safe and sanitary quality, with adequate facilities for its proper distribution
						throughout the plant, and protection against contamination and pollution. Water
						from other facilities, when approved in writing by the Department, may be used
						for boiler feed water and condenser water provided that the waterlines are
						completely separated from the waterlines carrying the sanitary water supply,
						and the equipment is so constructed and controlled to preclude contamination of
						product contact surfaces. There may not be cross connection between the safe
						water supply and any unsafe or questionable water supply, or any other source
						of pollution through which contamination of the safe water supply is possible.
						Bacteriological examination shall be made of the sanitary water supply at least
						twice a year, or as often as necessary to determine purity and suitability for
						use in manufacturing dairy products. The tests shall be made in a laboratory
						that is approved by the Department. The results of all water tests shall be
						kept on file at the plant for which the test was performed.
(b)
Drinking water.
Sanitary
						drinking water facilities shall be provided in the plant and be conveniently
						located.
(c)
Hand-washing
						facilities.
Convenient hand-washing facilities shall be provided,
						including hot and cold running water, soap or other detergents, and sanitary
						single-service towels or air dryers. The accommodations must be located in or
						adjacent to toilet and dressing rooms and also at other places in the plant
						that may be essential to the cleanliness of all personnel handling products.
						Vats for washing equipment or utensils may not be used as handwashing
						facilities. Self-closing metal or plastic containers shall be provided for used
						towels and other wastes.
(d)
Steam.
Steam shall be supplied in sufficient volume and
						pressure for satisfactory operation of each applicable piece of equipment.
						Culinary steam used in direct contact with milk or dairy products must be free
						from harmful substances or extraneous material and only nontoxic boiler
						compounds shall be used, or a secondary steam generator shall be used in which
						soft water is converted to steam and no boiler compounds are used. Steam traps,
						strainers and condensate traps shall be used wherever applicable to insure a
						satisfactory and safe steam supply. Culinary steam must comply with the current
3-A Accepted Practices for a Method of Producing Culinary
						Steam
.
(e)
Air
						under pressure.
The method for supplying air under pressure which
						comes in contact with milk or dairy products or any product contact surface
						must comply with the current
3-A Accepted Practices for Supplying Air
						Under Pressure
. The air used at the point of application must be free
						from volatile substances, volatiles which may impart any flavor or odor to the
						products, and extraneous or harmful substances.
(f)
Dairy waste.
Dairy
						wastes shall be properly disposed of from the plant and premises. The sewer
						system must have sufficient slope and capacity to readily remove all waste from
						the various processing operations. When a public sewer is not available, wastes
						shall be properly disposed of so as not to contaminate milk equipment or to
						create a nuisance or public health hazard. Containers used for the collection
						and holding of wastes shall be constructed of metal, plastic or other equally
						impervious material and kept covered with tight fitting lids and placed outside
						the plant on a concrete slab or on a rack raised at least 12 inches. Waste
						containers may be kept inside a suitably enclosed, clean and flyproof room.
						Solid wastes shall be disposed of regularly and the containers cleaned before
						reuse. Accumulation of dry wastepaper and cardboard shall be kept to a
						minimum.