18 AAC 31.985 - Potentially Hazardous Food

(a) For purposes of this chapter, a food is a potentially hazardous food if it requires time or temperature control for safety to limit pathogenic microorganism growth or toxin formation.

(b) Potentially hazardous food includes

(1) a food of animal origin that is raw or heat-treated, a food of plant origin that is heat-treated or consists of raw seed sprouts, cut melons, or garlic-in-oil mixtures that are not modified in a way that results in mixtures that do not support pathogenic microorganism growth or toxin formation; and

(2) except for a food for which the department has granted a variance under 18 AAC 31.930, a food that, because of the interaction of its water activity and pH values, is designated as PA in Table L or M of this section.

TABLE L

INTERACTION OF pH AND WATER ACTIVITY FOR

CONTROL OF SPORES IN FOOD HEAT-TREATED TO

DESTROY VEGETATIVE CELLS AND SUBSEQUENTLY

PACKAGED

WATER ACTIVITY

VALUES pH VALUES

4.6 or less greater than 4.6

and no greater

than 5.6

greater than 5.6 0.92 or less

non-PHF*

non-PHF*

on-PHF*

greater than 0.92

and no greater than

0.95

non-PHF* non-PHF* PA** greater than 0.95

non-PHF*

PA**

PA**

*non-PHF means non-potentially hazardous food **PA means a variance granted under 18 AAC 31.930 is required

to consider the food non-PHF

TABLE M

INTERACTION OF pH AND WATER ACTIVITY FOR

CONTROL OF VEGETATIVE CELLS AND SPORES IN FOOD

NOT HEAT-TREATED OR HEAT-TREATED BUT NOT

PACKAGED

WATER

ACTIVITY

VALUES pH VALUES

less than 4.2 no less than 4.2

and no greater

than 4.6 greater than

4.6 and no

greater than

5.0

greater than

5.0 less than 0.88

non-PHF*

non-PHF*

non-PHF*

non-PHF*

no less than

0.88 and no

greater than 0.90

non-PHF* non-PHF* non-PHF* PA** no less than

0.90 and no

greater than

0.92

non-PHF* non-PHF* PA** PA** greater than

0.92 non-PHF* PA** PA** PA** *non-PHF means nonpotentially hazardous food **PA means a variance granted under 18 AAC 31.930 is required to consider the food non-PHF

(c) Potentially hazardous food does not include

(1) a hard-boiled egg with shell intact that has been air-cooled, or an egg with shell intact that is not hard-boiled, but has been pasteurized to destroy all viable Salmonellae;

(2) food in an unopened hermetically sealed container that is commercially processed to achieve and maintain commercial sterility under conditions of non-refrigerated storage and distribution;

(3) food that, because of its pH or water activity value, or interaction of water activity and pH values, is designated as a non-potentially hazardous food in Table L or M of this section; or

(4) food that is designated as PA in Table L or M of this section, if the department has granted a variance under 18 AAC 31.930.

Notes

18 AAC 31.985

Eff. 12/28/2006, Register 180

Authority:AS 03.05.011

AS 17.20.005

AS 17.20.010

AS 17.20.020

AS 17.20.040

AS 17.20.180