15A NCAC 18A .1320. FOOD SERVICE UTENSILS AND EQUIPMENT

(a)  All food service equipment and utensils used in institutions for preparing meals for 13 or more people shall comply with the requirements of "Rules Governing the Sanitation of Restaurants and Other Foodhandling Establishments" 15A NCAC 18A .2600.  Residential style rehabilitation activity kitchens with domestic utensils and equipment may be used by groups of 12 or less people to prepare meals only for members of the group.  Potentially hazardous foods prepared in rehabilitation activity kitchens shall not be served to groups of more than 12 people.  This shall not preclude the use of an activity kitchen as a serving area for meals catered from a main kitchen and served to groups of 13 or more people in connection with a planned event from which the public is excluded. For planned events, the equipment in the activity kitchen may be used for heating prepared foods received from a main kitchen or a commercial source.  Bread machines, soup kettles and other food contact items used at nutrition stations shall be so constructed as to be easily cleanable.

(b)  At activity kitchens or nutrition stations, provisions shall be made for cleaning all food service utensils and equipment and sanitizing utensils and equipment not continuously subjected to high temperatures.  Where utensils and equipment are not returned to a central kitchen for cleaning, designated nutrition stations shall be equipped with at least a two compartment sink with 24 inch drainboards or counter top space at each end for handling dirty items and air drying clean items.  Sinks shall be of sufficient size to submerge, wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and equipment.  At nutrition stations, dish machines listed with NSF International shall meet this provision.  Any area where food is portioned, served or handled shall be equipped with a separate handwash lavatory with hot and cold mixing faucet, soap and individual towels or hand drying device.  Separate handwashing lavatories shall not be required for activity kitchens used only by groups of 12 or less people.

(c)  All kitchenware and food‑contact surfaces of equipment, exclusive of cooking surfaces of equipment, used in the preparation or serving of food or drink, and all food storage utensils, shall be cleaned after each use.  Cooking surfaces of equipment shall be cleaned at least once each day.  All utensils and food‑contact surfaces of equipment used in the preparation, service, display, or storage of potentially hazardous foods shall be cleaned and sanitized prior to each use.  Non‑food‑contact surfaces of equipment shall be cleaned at such intervals as to keep them in a clean and sanitary condition.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 130A‑235;

Eff. February 1, 1976;

Readopted Eff. December 5, 1977;

Amended Eff. March 1, 2003 (see S.L. 2002-160); September 1, 1990;

Temporary Amendment Eff. June 1, 2003;

Amended Eff. February 1, 2004.