Section 760.120  General - Food Protection

a)         At all times, including while being stored, prepared, displayed, dispensed, packaged, or transported, food shall be protected from cross-contamination between foods and from potential contamination by insects, insecticides, rodents, rodenticides, probe-type price or probe-type identification tags, unclean equipment and utensils, unnecessary handling, flooding, draining, and overhead leakage or condensation, or other agents of public health significance.  Prior to July 1, 1996, the temperature of potentially hazardous foods shall be 45°F or below or 140°F or above, at all times, except as otherwise provided in this Part.  Effective July 1, 1996, the temperature of potentially hazardous foods shall be 41°F or below, or 140°F or above, at all times, except as otherwise provided in this Part.  Refrigeration units unable to maintain a product temperature of 41°F may continue to be used until January 1, 2006, provided the product temperature is maintained at 45°F or less at all times and all potentially hazardous foods prepared on-site or opened containers/packages of commercially processed food products are dated and refrigerated for no longer than three days after preparation or opening, respectively.  In the event the dated product is not used or sold within 3 days, the product shall be discarded.

b)         Hermetically sealed packages shall be handled so as to maintain product and container integrity.  Food items that are spoiled or that are in damaged containers that may affect the product and those food items that have been returned to, or are being detained by, the retail food store because of spoilage, container damage, or other public health considerations, shall be segregated and held in designated areas pending proper disposition unless disposed of under the supervision of the regulatory authority.

(Source:  Amended at 20 Ill. Reg. 2201, effective January 20, 1996)