Washington Administrative Code › Title 246 - Health, Department of › FOOD HANDLING › Chapter 246-215 - Food service › Part 3 - FOOD › Subpart E - Limitation of Growth of Organisms of Public Health Concern › Section 246-215-03540 - Specialized processing methods-Reduced oxygen packaging without a variance, criteria (FDA Food Code 3-502.12)

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1) Except for a FOOD ESTABLISHMENT that
					 obtains a VARIANCE as specified under WAC
					 246-215-03535, a FOOD
					 ESTABLISHMENT that packages TIME/TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR SAFETY FOOD using a
					 REDUCED OXYGEN PACKAGING method shall control the growth and toxin formation of
Clostridium botulinum
and the growth of
Listeria
					 monocytogenes
.
(2) Except
					 as specified under subsection (6) of this section, a FOOD ESTABLISHMENT that
					 packages TIME/TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR SAFETY FOOD using a REDUCED OXYGEN
					 PACKAGING method shall have a HACCP PLAN that contains the information
					 specified under WAC
					 246-215-08215(3) and
					 (4)    and that:
(a) Identifies the FOOD to be
					 PACKAGED;
(b) Except as specified
					 under subsections (3) through (5) of this section, requires that the PACKAGED
					 FOOD must be maintained at 41°F (5°C) or less and meet at least one of
					 the following requirements:
(i) Has an
					 Aw of 0.91 or less;
(ii) Has a pH of 4.6 or less;
(iii) Is a MEAT or POULTRY product cured at a
					 FOOD PROCESSING PLANT regulated by the USDA using substances specified in
					 9 C.F.R.
					 424.21, Use of Food Ingredients and Sources
					 of Radiation, and is received in an intact package; or
(iv) Is a FOOD with a high level of competing
					 organisms such as raw MEAT, raw POULTRY, or raw vegetables;
(c) Describes how the PACKAGE must
					 be prominently and conspicuously labeled on the principal display panel in bold
					 type on a contrasting background, with instructions to:
(i) Maintain the FOOD at 41°F (5°C)
					 or below; and
(ii) Discard the
					 FOOD if within thirty calendar days of its packaging it is not served for
					 on-PREMISES consumption, or consumed if served or sold for off-PREMISES
					 consumption;
(d) Limits
					 the refrigerated shelf life to no more than thirty calendar days from packaging
					 to consumption, except the time the product is maintained frozen, or the
					 original manufacturer's "sell by" or "use by" date, whichever occurs
					 first:
(e) Includes operational
					 procedures that:
(i) Prohibit contacting
					 READY-TO-EAT FOOD with bare hands as specified under WAC
					 246-215-03300(2);
(ii) Identify a designated work area and the
					 method by which:
(A) Physical barriers or
					 methods of separation of raw FOODS and READY-TO-EAT FOODS minimize cross
					 contamination; and
(B) Access to
					 the processing EQUIPMENT is limited to responsible trained personnel familiar
					 with the potential hazards of the operation; and
(iii) Delineate cleaning and sanitization
					 procedures for FOOD-CONTACT SURFACES; and
(f) Describes the training program that
					 ensures that the individual responsible for the REDUCED OXYGEN PACKAGING
					 operation understands the:
(i) Concepts
					 required for a safe operation;
(ii)
					 EQUIPMENT and facilities;
(iii)
					 Procedures specified under (e) of this subsection and WAC
					 246-215-08215(3) and
					 (4); and
(g) Is provided to the REGULATORY AUTHORITY
					 prior to implementation as specified under WAC
					 246-215-08210(2).