Section 70.06. Equipment and utensils.

 

(1)   Construction and maintenance; general. Equipment and utensils shall be of sanitary design and construction. Equipment and utensils shall be readily accessible for cleaning and inspection and shall be constructed so that they can be easily cleaned. Equipment and utensils shall be kept clean and in good repair.

(2)   Food contact surfaces. Food contact surfaces of equipment and utensils shall be constructed of stainless steel or other materials which are smooth, impervious, nontoxic, noncorrosive, nonabsorbent, and durable under normal use conditions. Food contact surfaces shall be easily cleanable, and shall be free of breaks, open seams, cracks, or similar defects. Food contact surfaces shall not impart any odor, color, taste, or adulterating substance to food. Food contact surfaces, other than food contact surfaces of approved C-I-P systems, shall be readily accessible for manual cleaning. Joints and fittings shall be of sanitary design and construction.

(3)   C-I-P systems. C-I-P systems shall be of sanitary design and construction, and shall be installed and maintained for sanitary operation. A C-I-P system shall be installed and maintained so that cleaning and sanitizing solutions can be circulated throughout all interior product contact surfaces of the system. C-I-P systems shall be equipped with adequate inspection ports or other access points. C-I-P systems shall be self-draining, or shall be capable of being easily and completely drained. A temperature recording device, which accurately records the return temperatures of cleaning and sanitizing solutions, shall be installed in all circuits through which cleaning and sanitizing solutions are circulated. Cleaning records shall be kept for at least 90 days after they are created.

(4)   Location and installation of equipment. Equipment which cannot be easily moved shall be installed in a manner which prevents liquid or debris from accumulating under or around the equipment. Equipment shall be installed so that there is adequate clearance on all sides for cleaning and maintenance. This does not apply to that portion of a tank or container which is designed and installed to protrude into or through the wall or ceiling of a food processing plant. Air intake vents for food or ingredient storage containers shall be located in processing areas or shall be properly filtered.

(5)   Measuring devices and controls. Every freezer and cold storage compartment used to store or hold potentially hazardous food shall be equipped with a thermometer or other device which accurately indicates the temperature in the compartment. Instruments and controls used for measuring, regulating, and recording temperatures, pH, acidity, water activity, or other conditions that control or prevent the growth of undesirable microorganisms in food shall be accurate, and shall be adequate for their intended use.

(6)   Lubrication. Equipment shall be designed and constructed so that gear and bearing lubricants do not come in contact with food or food contact surfaces. Only food grade lubricants may be used in equipment if incidental food contact may occur.

(7)   Cleaning and sanitizing equipment and utensils; general.

(a) Except as provided in pars. (b) to (d) :

1. All food contact surfaces of equipment and utensils shall be cleaned and sanitized after each day's use, and prior to any change in use that may cross-contaminate food with major food allergens or other contaminants.

2. Sanitizers and methods used to sanitize equipment and utensils shall comply with s. ATCP 70.11 .

(b) The department may approve alternative cleaning and sanitizing procedures under sub. (7m) .

(c) Tanks used to store potentially hazardous food or potentially hazardous food ingredients shall be cleaned and sanitized whenever the food processing plant operator empties those tanks or more often if necessary.

(d) Paragraph (a) does not apply to the following equipment, provided that the food processing plant operator cleans and sanitizes the equipment according to manufacturer specifications:

1. Drying equipment.

2. Cloth-collector systems.

3. Dry product packaging equipment and storage containers.

4. Equipment used in brining, aging, curing, and dry product blending processes.

5. Food contact surfaces of equipment used solely to process foods or food ingredients with low water activity, such as chocolate, fats and oils, liquid nutritive sweeteners, peanut butter, or similar foods which are not potentially hazardous.

(7m)   Alternative cleaning and sanitizing procedures.

(a) A food processing plant operator may ask the department to approve alternative cleaning and sanitizing procedures under par. (b) . The operator shall submit the request in writing. The request shall include all of the following, and any other information required by the department:

1. A clear and complete description of the affected food processing equipment and utensils, including any continuously-operated equipment. The description shall identify sanitary design features that are relevant to the proposed cleaning and sanitizing procedures.

2. The types of food produced with the affected equipment or utensils, the purposes for which the food will be used, and the temperatures at which the food will be prepared, stored, and distributed.

3. A clear and complete description of the alternative cleaning and sanitizing procedure, including cleaning and sanitizing equipment, frequency, methods, materials, and relevant process parameters such as time and temperature. The description shall include a flow diagram of the cleaning and sanitizing procedure.

4. A written statement, by the food processing plant operator, that the alternative cleaning and sanitizing procedure has been evaluated and determined to be effective in preventing food contamination and ensuring the microbiological safety of food. The written statement shall be based on a HACCP plan under subd. 5.

5. A HACCP plan, prepared by qualified personnel, to ensure that the alternative cleaning and sanitizing procedure will be effective in preventing food contamination and ensuring the microbiological safety of food. The HACCP plan shall identify and assess foreseeable hazards, identify critical control points, identify critical safety parameters and limits, and identify monitoring procedures and controls to ensure that the procedure is effective.

(b) The department may approve alternative cleaning and sanitizing procedures that do not comply with sub. (7) (a) if the department believes that those procedures will be effective in preventing food contamination and ensuring the microbiological safety of food. The department shall give its approval in writing, based on a written request under par. (a) .

(c) The department shall grant or deny a request under par. (a) within 60 days after it receives a complete request, except that the department may give written notice extending the action deadline for reasons stated in the notice.

(d) The department may qualify or limit its approval under par. (b) , as it deems appropriate. The department may withdraw its approval for cause, including information that casts doubt on the efficacy or faithful implementation of the approved procedure.

(e) A food processing plant operator that implements an alternative cleaning and sanitizing procedure approved under par. (b) shall do all of the following:

1. Control and monitor to ensure that the procedure is faithfully implemented as approved, and is effective in preventing food contamination and ensuring the microbiological safety of food.

2. Promptly notify the department of any material deviation from the approved procedure, and any information that casts doubt on the efficacy of the procedure.

3. Collect and retain data and records to document, on a continuing basis, the faithful implementation and efficacy of the approved procedure. The operator shall retain the data and records for at least 90 days, and shall make them available upon request for inspection and copying by the department.

(8)   Cleaning and sanitizing C-I-P systems. C-I-P systems shall be cleaned and sanitized in compliance with manufacturer specifications. Cleaning and sanitizing records shall be maintained for all C-I-P systems. The records shall identify every C-I-P system which has been cleaned or sanitized, the date and time when each C-I-P system was cleaned and sanitized, the temperature of the cleaning or sanitizing solution, and the length of time for which the C-I-P system was exposed to each cleaning and sanitizing solution. Records shall be signed or initialed by a responsible person at the food processing plant. Records shall be maintained on file at the food processing plant for at least 90 days, and shall be made available for inspection and copying by the department upon request.

(9)   Storage of clean equipment and utensils. Equipment and utensils, unless stored in an approved sanitizing solution, shall be stored so as to drain dry. Equipment and utensils shall be protected from contamination prior to use.

(10)   Single-service articles. Single-service articles shall be stored in the original containers in which they were received, or in other closed containers which will protect them from contamination prior to use. Single-service articles shall not be re-used.

(11)  E quipment and utensils in egg handling facilities. Equipment for candling, grading, and weighing eggs shall meet the requirements of s. ATCP 88.12 (5) .

Cr. Register, October, 1989, No. 406 , eff. 11-1-89; CR 09-009 : am. (3), r. and recr. (7), cr. (7m) Register October 2009 No. 646 , eff. 11-1-09; CR 14-037 : cr. (11) Register April 2015 No. 712 , eff. 5-1-15.

Note

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