Section 785.450  Cleaning and Sanitizing Treatment

a)         Equipment and Utensils

1)         The equipment, sanitary piping and utensils used in receiving and processing of the milk, and manufacturing and handling of the product shall be maintained in a sanitary condition.  Sanitary seal assemblies shall be removable on all agitators, pumps and vats, and shall be inspected at regular intervals and kept clean.  Unless other provisions are recommended in the following supplemental sections, all equipment not designed for C.I.P. cleaning shall be disassembled after each day's use for thorough cleaning.  Dairy cleaners, detergents, wetting agents, sanitizing agents or other similar materials which will not contaminate or adversely affect the products may be used.  Steel wool or metal sponges shall not be used in the cleaning of any dairy equipment or utensils.  All product contact surfaces shall be subjected to an effective sanitizing treatment immediately prior to use, except where dry cleaning is permitted in accordance with Subpart E.  Utensils and portable equipment used in processing and manufacturing operations shall be stored above the floor in clean, dry locations and in a self draining position on racks constructed of impervious corrosion-resistant material.

2)         C.I.P. cleaning, including sprayball systems, shall be used only on equipment and pipeline systems which have been designed and engineered for that purpose.  When such cleaning is used, careful attention shall be given to the proper procedures to assure satisfactory cleaning.  All C.I.P. installations and cleaning procedures shall be in accordance with 3-A Suggested Methods for the Installation and Cleaning of Cleaned-In-Place Sanitary Milk Pipelines for Milk and Milk Products Plants.  The established cleaning procedure shall be posted and followed.  Following the circulation of the cleaning solution the equipment and lines shall be thoroughly rinsed with lukewarm water and checked for effectiveness of cleaning.  All caps, plugs, special fittings, valve seats, cross ends, pumps, plates, and the ends shall be opened or removed and brushed clean. Immediately prior to starting the product flow, the product contact surfaces shall be given bactericidal treatment.

b)         Milk Tank Trucks:  A covered or enclosed wash dock and cleaning and sanitizing facilities shall be available to all plants that receive or ship milk in milk tank trucks.  Milk tank trucks, sanitary piping, fittings, and pumps shall be cleaned and sanitized at least once each day, after use:  Provided, that if they are not to be used immediately after emptying a load of milk, they shall be washed promptly after use and given bactericidal treatment immediately before use.  After being washed and sanitized, each milk tank truck shall be identified by a tag attached to the outlet valve, bearing the following information:  Plant and specific location where cleaned, date and time of day of washing and sanitizing, and name of person who washed and name of person who sanitized the milk tank truck.  The tag shall not be removed until the milk tank truck is again washed and sanitized.

c)         Building:  All windows, glass, partitions, and skylights shall be washed as often as necessary to keep them free from dust and debris.  The material picked up by the vacuum cleaners shall be disposed of by burning or other proper methods to destroy any insects that might be present.