15A NCAC 18A .2812. CLEANING AND SANITIZING EQUIPMENT AND UTENSILS

(a)  In child care centers, drainboards or countertop space of adequate size shall be provided for handling of soiled utensils prior to washing and cleaned utensils following sanitizing.  For child care centers originally licensed on or after April 15, 1998, drainboards or countertop space shall be no less than 8 square feet.  A domestic dishwasher may be used to provide the equivalent of 4 square feet of drainboard space and other designated areas not contiguous with the sink may be utilized to meet drainboard or countertop space requirements.  Drainboards or countertop space designated for clean equipment and utensils shall be on the opposite end of the sink from drainboards or countertop space designated for soiled equipment and utensils unless these areas are otherwise separated and protected from cross contamination.  Upon change of ownership, or the closing of the operation and the issuance of a new license, or the remodeling of an existing kitchen, a child care center shall also comply with this Paragraph.

(b)  Except for fixed equipment and utensils too large to be cleaned in sink compartments, manual washing, rinsing, and sanitizing shall be conducted in the following sequence:

(1)           when necessary, equipment and utensils shall be scraped, flushed, or soaked to remove food particles;

(2)           sinks shall be cleaned and sanitized prior to use;

(3)           equipment and utensils shall be washed in the first compartment with a hot detergent solution that is changed once visibly  soiled;

(4)           equipment and utensils shall be rinsed free of detergent and abrasives with clean water in the second  compartment; and

(5)           the food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils shall be sanitized in the third compartment  in the following manner:

(A)          immersion for at least one minute in clean, hot water at a temperature of at least 170°F  (77°C) in dish baskets of such size and design to permit complete immersion of the tableware, kitchenware and equipment in the hot water;

(B)          immersion for at least two minutes in a clean solution containing 50 to 200 parts per million (ppm) of chlorine at a temperature of at least 75°F (24°C);

(C)          immersion for at least two minutes in a clean solution containing at least 12.5 ppm of iodine and having a pH not higher than 5.0 and at a temperature of at least 75°F (24°C);

(D)          immersion for at least two minutes in a clean solution containing 200 to 400 ppm of quaternary ammonium products and having a temperature of at least 75°F (24°C), provided that the product is labeled to show that it is effective in water having a hardness value at least equal to that of the water being used; or

(E)           other sanitizing products, procedures, or equipment as effective as those above may be used if these products are nontoxic to children, used according to the manufacturer's instructions and approved by the Department.

(c)  For mechanical cleaning and sanitizing, food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils shall be sanitized according to the manufacturer's instructions.  When a domestic dishwashing machine with a sanitizing cycle is used according to manufacturer's instructions, additional sanitizing is not required.  When commercial dishwashing equipment is used, a temperature indicating device, accurate to 2ºF (1ºC), shall be provided.

(d)  For utensils and equipment which are either too large or impractical to sanitize in a dishwashing machine or dishwashing sink, a spray-on or wipe-on sanitizer of sufficient chemical strength as indicated in Paragraph (b) of this Rule shall be used.  Spray-on or wipe-on sanitizers shall be prepared daily and kept on hand for bactericidal treatment.

(e)  Multi-service articles, including highchair feeding trays, shall be washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use.

(f)  Nonfood-contact surfaces shall be cleaned to keep equipment free of accumulation of dust, dirt, food particles and other debris.

(g)  A testing method or equipment, used in accordance with the product manufacturer's instructions, shall be made available, convenient, and regularly used to test the strengths of these chemical sanitizing solutions to ensure the prescribed concentrations are met.

(h)  After sanitizing, all equipment and utensils shall be air dried.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 110‑91;

Eff. July 1, 1991;

Amended Eff. February 1, 1995; July 1, 1993;

Temporary Amendment Eff. December 1, 1999; April 15, 1998;

Amended Eff. July 1, 2006; January 1, 2006; April 1, 2001.