Iowa Admin. Code r. 481-34.6 - Food preparation and protection
(1)
Food
protection. Foods shall be processed, stored, and distributed in a
manner that protects food from contamination, including cross contamination
from the environment, and allergen cross contact .
(2)
Cooking. All animal foods or
foods containing animal products, if cooked, shall be cooked to an internal
temperature sufficient to destroy organisms that are injurious to health.
Homemade food items shall not contain raw or undercooked animal foods except
for packaged raw meat or poultry items labeled with safe handling instructions
informing the consumer how to safely store, prepare, and handle raw meat and
poultry products in the home.
(3)
Holding. All time/temperature control for safety foods shall
be held at an internal temperature of 41°F or less or 135°F or higher
to control bacterial growth or toxin formation.
(4)
Cooling.
a. Time/temperature control for safety foods that have
been heat-treated shall be cooled from 135°F to 70°F within two hours
and from 70°F to 41°F within an additional four hours. Total cooling
time shall not exceed six hours.
b.
Time/temperature control for safety foods prepared with ingredients above
41°F shall be cooled to 41°F or below within four hours from the
beginning of preparation.
(5)
Reheating.
a. Homemade food items that are time/temperature
control for safety and have been previously heated and cooled shall be reheated
to an internal temperature of 165°F within two hours or less.
b. Commercially processed time/temperature
control for safety foods shall be reheated to 135°F within two hours or
less.
(6)
Preparation methods.
a.
High-acid foods that are produced and sold by the establishment and that are
controlled by pH, such as barbeque sauce, condiments, and dressings, may be
produced as homemade food items if:
(1) The
product has been produced following a standardized recipe ;
(2) The product does not contain more than 10 percent
low-acid food ingredients by weight;
(3) The product recipe, including the name and weight
of each ingredient, is submitted and approved by the regulatory
authority;
(4) The product's
equilibrium pH of each batch is tested with a calibrated pH tester designed for
use with food . The pH shall be below 4.60, and the pH value shall be recorded
on a production or batch record; and
(5) The product is adequately heated to destroy
spoilage organisms.
b.
Dried foods that are produced and sold under the home food processing
establishment license that are controlled by (aw), such
as dehydrated or freeze-dried food may be produced as a homemade food item if:
(1) The products have been produced following
a standardized recipe ;
(2) The
homemade food items do not contain raw or undercooked foods of animal origin;
and
(3) Each batch is tested for
(aw) or the standardized written procedure for each
homemade food item has been validated to ensure the final product is at or
below 0.85 (aw).
c. Jams, jellies, preserves, and fruit butters that
are produced and sold under the home food processing establishment license
shall meet the standard of identity specified in 21 CFR Part 150 as amended to
April 1, 2023, and be produced following a standardized recipe . The home food
processing establishment shall provide documentation, such as an analysis from
an accredited food laboratory, that a product meets the standard of identity
when requested by the regulatory authority.
d. Nonstandardized fruit jellies shall be produced
following a standardized recipe and made with 45 parts of fruit to 55 parts of
sugar and concentrated to 65 percent soluble solids. The home food processing
establishment shall provide documentation, such as an analysis from an
accredited food laboratory, that a product meets this requirement when
requested by the regulatory authority.
e. Nonstandardized nonfruit jellies shall be produced
following a standardized recipe and shall have a soluble solids content of 65
percent. The home food processing establishment shall provide documentation,
such as an analysis from an accredited food laboratory, that a product meets
this requirement when requested by the regulatory authority.
f. Standardized sweeteners and table syrups
shall meet the standard of identity specified in 21 CFR Part 168 as amended to
April 1, 2023. The home food processing establishment shall provide
documentation that a product meets this requirement when requested by the
regulatory authority.
g. A home
food processing establishment that wishes to prepare foods using fermentation
shall submit an HACCP plan to the department that has been validated by a
recognized process authority, such as those provided on the department 's
website. A home food processing establishment shall not ferment food until the
department has approved the HACCP plan .
h. A home food processing establishment shall not
engage in the following processes to produce homemade food items:
(1) Low-acid canning (e.g., canned
vegetables);
(2) Acidification to
produce shelf-stable acidified foods (e.g., salsa, pickled vegetables, hot
sauce);
(3) Curing (e.g., bacon,
jerky, meat sticks); or
(4) Smoking
food for preservation rather than flavor enhancement.
Notes
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