Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 40-2-16-.26 - Bottling, Packaging, and Container Closure
(1)
Sanitary Manner and Approved Equipment. Bottling, packaging, and
container filling of raw milk for human consumption must be done at the place
of production in a sanitary manner by approved mechanical equipment.
(2)
Filling Room. Bottling,
packaging, and container filling of raw milk for human consumption must be
conducted in a filling room that is separate from the milking room.
(3)
Pump Out Procedures. Once
the sampling is completed, with the agitator still running:
(a) Open the outlet valve and drain a small
amount of milk from the valve into the drain.
(b) Sanitize the outlet valve and end of
hose.
(c) Hook up hose and start
the pump.
(d) Turn off the agitator
when the level of milk has reached the agitator blade.
(e) When the milk has been removed from the
tank, disconnect the hose from the outlet valve and cap the hose.
(f) With the outlet valve open, thoroughly
rinse the entire inside of the tank with warm water.
(4)
Covers. Bottling or
packaging machine supply tanks and bowls must have covers which are smooth and
easily cleanable and must be constructed to prevent any contamination from
reaching the inside of the filler tank or bowl. All covers must be in place
during operation.
(5)
Drip
Deflectors. A drip deflector must be installed on each filler valve. The
drip deflector must be designed and adjusted to divert condensation away from
the open container.
(6)
Protection Against Contamination. All containers, seals, and caps
must be handled in a sanitary manner and protected against exposure during the
operation.
(7)
Food Grade
Lubricants. When any lubricant is applied to the filler equipment or
other milk contact surfaces, the lubricant must be food grade and applied in a
sanitary manner.
(8)
Immediate Closure. Containers must be closed immediately after
being filled.
(9)
Protection
During Storage. All container caps, sealers, and closures shall be
stored in a clean, dry place protected from insects, rodents, dust, splash, or
other contamination.
(10)
Containers.
(a)
Except as
described in subparagraph (b), only new containers, container caps,
sealers, and closures must be used.
(b) Reusable containers require specialized
equipment for proper cleaning and sanitizing. The Department will require
properly prepared plans and specifications for review prior to authorizing the
use of reusable containers. Such plans must include:
1. Facilities in which containers are washed
manually must be equipped with a two (2)-compartment wash-and-rinse vat for
this purpose.
2. In facilities
utilizing automatic bottle washers, such washers must provide for bactericidal
treatment by means of steam, hot water, or chemical treatment.
3. All multi-use containers, utensils, and
equipment must be sanitized before use.
4. These requirements are not all-inclusive
of the plans required for submittal. The Department may adopt additional
standards or requirements that must be addressed prior to approval of a
reusable container plan.
(11)
Single-Service Bottle
Cleaning. Single-service glass containers that are received at the
processing plant in an unclean and/or unprotected state must be properly
cleaned and sanitized immediately prior to packaging.
(a) This cleaning/sanitizing operation must
be conducted in a room separate from case washing operations and rooms used for
the filling of milk.
(b) Facilities
in which containers are washed manually must be equipped with a two
(2)-compartment wash-and-rinse vat for this purpose.
(c) In facilities utilizing automatic bottle
washers, such washers must provide for bactericidal treatment by means of
steam, hot water, or chemical treatment.
(d) Equipment and procedures used for the
cleaning of single-service glass bottles must meet all the requirements of this
Rule, including sanitization efficacy tests required by the
Department.
(12)
Mechanical Closure and Sealing. All container closure/sealing must
be done at the place of production in a sanitary manner by approved mechanical
equipment.
(13)
Hand Capping
Prohibited. Hand capping or sealing of containers is
prohibited.
(14)
Large
Containers - Alternative Methods. If suitable mechanical equipment for
the capping or closing of specific container(s) of 12.8 liters (three gallons)
or more is not available, other methods which eliminate all possibility of
contamination may be approved by the Department. Approval of such methods must
be obtained in writing prior to beginning operations.
(15)
Rework. Bottles and
packages which have been imperfectly capped, sealed, or closed must have the
contents emptied immediately into approved sanitary containers that are
protected from contamination and maintained at 7°C (45°F) or less; when
handled and stored properly, the contents may be repackaged in new containers
at a later time.
(16)
Tamper-Evident Seal. All caps, seals, and closures must be
designed and applied so that the sealed container is tamper- evident (removal
cannot be made without detection), and the pouring lip must be protected to at
least its largest diameter.
(17)
End of Operating Period. Caps, sealers, and closures must not be
left in the equipment at the end of an operating period. Caps, sealers, and
closures remaining in the chute between the hopper and the capping device must
be discarded.
(18)
Returned
to Storage. Loose caps, sealers, and closures may be returned to storage
by enclosing them in a clean, protective wrap, plastic bag, or container
approved, in writing, by the Department.
(19)
Assembled Equipment, Sanitized
Prior to Use. Assembled equipment must be sanitized prior to each day's
run unless the Department has reviewed and accepted, in writing,
information supporting the sanitizing of multi-use containers, utensils, and
equipment at frequencies extending beyond one (1) day.
(20)
Efficacy Testing. The
Department will perform tests to verify the efficacy of sanitization at
intervals sufficient to determine if the sanitization process is
effective.
(21)
Cleaning of
Multi-use Containers, Utensils, and Equipment. All multi-use containers
and utensils must be thoroughly cleaned after each use and all equipment
thoroughly cleaned at least once each day used unless the Department
has reviewed and accepted, in writing, information supporting the cleaning of
multi-use containers and utensils at frequencies extending beyond one (1) day,
or seventy-two (72) hours in the case of storage tanks.
(22)
Storage Tanks - Cleaning and
Emptying. Storage tanks must be cleaned when emptied and must be emptied
at a minimum of once every seventy-two (72) hours.
(a) The seventy-two (72) hour period starts
when milk first enters a cleaned and sanitized storage tank.
(b) Records must be available to document
that milk storage in these tanks does not exceed seventy-two (72)
hours.
(23)
Filling
and Capping Equipment, Cleaning. Filling and capping equipment must be
cleaned at intervals and by methods recommended by the manufacturer and
approved by the Department. Such methods may include cleaning without water
(dry cleaning) by the use of vacuum cleaners, brushes, or scrapers.
(24)
Filling and Capping Equipment,
Sanitizing. Product-contact surfaces must be subjected to an effective
sanitizing treatment immediately prior to use, except where dry
cleaning is permitted.
(25)
Storage Bins, Cleaned and
Sanitized. Storage bins used to transport milk must be cleaned after
each usage and washed and sanitized at regular intervals.
(26)
CIP Cleaning Requirements.
Pipelines and/or equipment designed for CIP cleaning must meet the following
requirements:
(a) An effective cleaning and
sanitizing regimen for each separate cleaning circuit must be
followed.
(b) A
temperature-recording device or a recording device which provides sufficient
information to adequately evaluate the cleaning and sanitizing regimen and
which is approved by the Department, must be installed in the return solution
line, or other appropriate area, to record the temperature and time which the
line or equipment is exposed to cleaning and sanitizing solutions.
(27)
Charts, Logs, and
Records. Cleaning charts, logs, and any stored records required by this
Rule must be:
(a) Identified with:
1. The name and location of the
facility;
2. The date and time the
monitoring/activity is performed; and
3. The signature or initials of the person
performing the monitoring/activity.
(b) Reviewed, dated, and signed or initialed
by the person conducting the review;
(c) Onsite and available for review by the
Department during each regulatory inspection for at least the previous three
(3) months, or from the last regulatory inspection, whichever is longer.
Offsite storage of these cleaning records is permitted if such records
can be retrieved and provided onsite within twenty-four (24) hours of a request
for official review. Electronic records are considered to be onsite if they are
accessible from an onsite location; and
(d) Retained for a minimum of (12) months
after the date they were created.
(28)
Holding.
(a) Post-fill, all raw milk for human
consumption must be maintained at a temperature of 7ºC (45ºF) or
less.
(b) Equipment in which raw
milk for human consumption is stored or held must be equipped with an accurate
indicating thermometer, temperature measuring device, or temperature-recording
device.
1. The probe of the thermometer or
temperature measuring/recording device must be located in the warmest zone of
the equipment.
2. If a temperature
recorder is used, the recorder must:
(i) Be
operated continuously,
(ii) Be
maintained in a proper functioning manner,
(iii) Not be allowed to overlap circular
charts,
(iv) Be verified every six
(6) months and documented in a manner acceptable to the Department,
and
(v) Have records kept on the
premise for review for a minimum of six (6) months and provided to the
Department upon request.
3.
In lieu of a temperature-recording
device, paper logs may be used.
(i)
The temperature monitoring log must be completed by an employee of the facility
every four (4) hours while raw milk is being held under
refrigeration.
(ii) The log must
identify:
(I.) The specific refrigerated
equipment where the milk is stored,
(II.) The date and time the monitoring is
performed,
(III.) The initials of
the employee performing the monitoring,
(IV.) The actual temperature observed at the
time of monitoring, and
(V.) Any
action(s) taken when a temperature reading exceeds 7ºC
(45ºF).
Notes
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