S.C. Code Regs. § § 61-25.3-302

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 10, October 25, 2024

Section 61-25.3-302 - Preventing Food and Ingredient Contamination

3-302.11Packaged and Unpackaged Food - Separation, Packaging, and Segregation.

(A) Food shall be protected from cross contamination by:

(1) Except as specified in (1)(d) below, separating raw animal foods during storage, preparation, holding, and display from:

(a) Raw ready-to-eat food including other raw animal food such as fish for sushi or molluscan shellfish, or other raw ready-to-eat food such as fruits and vegetables, ^P and

(b) Cooked ready-to-eat food; ^P and

(c) Fruits and vegetables before they are washed; ^P and

(d) Frozen, commercially processed and packaged raw animal food may be stored or displayed with or above frozen, commercially processed and packaged, ready-to-eat food.

(2) Except when combined as ingredients, separating types of raw animal foods from each other such as beef, fish, lamb, pork, and poultry during storage, preparation, holding, and display by:

(a) Using separate equipment for each type, ^P or

(b) Arranging each type of food in equipment so that cross contamination of one type with another is prevented, ^P and

(c) Preparing each type of food at different times or in separate areas; ^P

(3) Cleaning equipment and utensils as specified under 4-602.11(A) and sanitizing as specified under 4-703.11;

(4) Except as specified under 3-501.15(B)(2) and in (B) of this section, storing the food in packages, covered containers, or wrappings;

(5) Cleaning hermetically sealed containers of food of visible soil before opening;

(6) Protecting food containers that are received packaged together in a case or overwrap from cuts when the case or overwrap is opened;

(7) Storing damaged, spoiled, or recalled food being held in the retail food establishment as specified under 6-404.11; and

(8) Separating fruits and vegetables before they are washed, as specified under 3-302.15, from ready-to-eat food.

(B) Subparagraph (A)(4) of this section does not apply to:

(1) Whole, uncut, raw fruits and vegetables and nuts in the shell that require peeling or hulling before consumption;

(2) Primal cuts, quarters, or sides of raw meat or slab bacon that are hung on clean, sanitized hooks or placed on clean, sanitized racks;

(3) Whole, uncut, processed meats such as country hams and smoked or cured sausages that are placed on clean, sanitized racks;

(4) Food being cooled as specified under 3-501.15(B)(2); or

(5) Shellstock.

3-302.12Food Storage Containers, Identified with Common Name of Food.

Except for containers holding food that can be readily and unmistakably recognized, such as dry pasta, working containers holding food or food ingredients that are removed from their original packages for use in the retail food establishment, such as cooking oils, flour, herbs, potato flakes, salt, spices, and sugar, shall be identified with the common name of the food.

3-302.13 Pasteurized Eggs, Substitute for Raw Eggs for Certain Recipes.

Pasteurized eggs or egg products shall be substituted for raw eggs in the preparation of foods such as Caesar salad, hollandaise or Béarnaise sauce, mayonnaise, meringue, eggnog, ice cream, and egg-fortified beverages that are not: ^P

(A) Cooked as specified under 3-401.11(A)(1) or (2); ^P or

(B) Included in 3-401.11(D). ^P

3-302.14Protection from Unapproved Additives.

(A) Food shall be protected from contamination that may result from the addition of, as specified in 3-202.12:

(1) Unsafe or unapproved food or color additives; ^P and

(2) Unsafe or unapproved levels of approved food and color additives. ^P

(B) A food employee may not:

(1) Apply sulfiting agents to fresh fruits and vegetables intended for raw consumption or to a food considered to be a good source of vitamin B₁,^P or

(2) Except for grapes, serve or sell food specified under (B)(1) of this section that is treated with sulfiting agents before receipt by the retail food establishment. ^P

3-302.15Washing Fruits and Vegetables.

(A) Except as specified in (B) of this section and except for whole, raw fruits and vegetables that are intended for washing by the consumer before consumption, raw fruits and vegetables shall be thoroughly washed in water to remove soil and other contaminants before being cut, combined with other ingredients, cooked, served, or offered for human consumption in ready-to-eat form.

(B) Fruits and vegetables may be washed by using chemicals as specified under 7-204.12.

(C) Devices used for on-site generation of chemicals meeting the requirements specified in 21 CFR 173.315, Chemicals Used in the Washing or to Assist in the Peeling of Fruits and Vegetables, for the washing of raw, whole fruits and vegetables shall be used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. ^Pf

S.C. Code Regs. § 61-25.3-302

Replaced and amended by State Register Volume 38, Issue No. 6, eff 6/27/2014; State Register Volume 43, Issue No. 05, eff. 5/24/2019.