32.9.417    SEPARATORS AND PASTEURIZING EQUIPMENT

(1) All product contact surfaces of separators must be free from rust and pits and insofar as practicable be of stainless steel or other equally non-corrosive metals.

(2) Coil or dome-type batch pasteurizers must be stainless steel lined and if the coil is not stainless steel or other equally non-corrosive metal, it must be properly tinned over the entire surface. Sanitary seal assemblies at the shaft ends of the coil vats must be of the removable type, except that existing equipment not provided with this type gland will be acceptable if the packing glands are maintained and operated without adverse effects. New or replacement units must be provided with removable packing glands. Dome-type pasteurizer agitators must be stainless steel except that any non-metallic parts shall meet 3-a sanitary standards for plastic or rubber and rubber-like materials, as applicable. Each pasteurizer used for heating product at 165° F. or lower for 30 minutes or less must be equipped with space-heating equipment and the necessary thermometers to insure a temperature at least 5° F. above that required for pasteurization of the product. There must be adequate means of controlling the temperature of the heating medium. Batch pasteurizers must have temperature indicating and recording devices.

(3) When pasteurization is intended or required, an approved timing pump or device recorder-controller, automatic flow diversion valve and holding tube or its equivalent, if not a part of the existing equipment, must be installed on all high temperature short-time (HTST) equipment used for pasteurization, to assure complete pasteurization. The entire facility must meet the 3-a accepted practices for the sanitary construction, installation, testing and operation of HTST pasteurizers. After the HTST unit has been tested according to the 3-a accepted practices, the timing pump or device and the recorder controller must be sealed at the correct setting to assure pasteurization. Sealing of the HTST unit must be performed by the control authority having jurisdiction. When direct steam pasteurizers are used, the steam, prior to entering the product, must be conducted through a steam strainer and a steam purifier equipped with a steam trap and only steam meeting the requirements for culinary steam may be used.

(4) Surface coolers must be equipped with hinged or removable covers for the protection of the product. The edges of the fins must be so designed as to divert condensate on non-product contact surfaces away from product contact surfaces.   All gaskets or swivel connections must be leak-proof.

(5) Plate-type heat exchangers must meet the 3-a sanitary standards for construction and installation. All gaskets must be tight and kept in good operating order. Plates must be opened for inspection by the operator at sufficiently frequent intervals to determine if the equipment is clean and in satisfactory condition. A cleaning regimen must be posted to insure proper cleaning procedures between inspection periods.

(6) Internal-return-tubular heat exchangers should meet the 3-a sanitary standards for construction and installation.

History: Secs. 81-2-102, 81-22-102 MCA; IMP, Secs. 81-2-102, 81-22-102 MCA; Eff. 12/31/72.