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Item 11r

UTENSILS AND EQUIPMENT-SANITIZATION

REQUIREMENT: The product contact surfaces of all multi-use containers,
equipment, and utensils used in the handling, storage, or transportation of milk
shall be sanitized before each usage.

Public Health Reason: Mere cleaning of containers, equipment and utensils does
not insure the removal or destruction of all disease organisms that may have been
present. Even very small numbers remaining may grow to dangerous proportions,
since many kinds of disease bacteria grow rapidly in milk. For this reason, all milk
containers, equipment and utensils must be treated with an effective sanitizer
before each usage.

Recommended practices to be used in properly sanitizing milk contact surfaces:

1. Immediately prior to use (milking), the equipment is treated with an
effective sanitizer. Most dairy farm operations use a chlorine rinse,
circulated in the system assuring contact with all milk contact surfaces.
This may require the loosening of milk line connections to allow contact
with the inner gaskets and thread parts. This may also involve im-
mersing the small parts in an approved sanitizer solution for at least the
minimum recommended time.

2. It is important to remember that once the equipment has been properly
sanitized it must not be exposed to possible contamination in any
manner. For this reason, dairy equipment should be sanitized
immediately prior to use. The lids and covers must be left in place
and not lifted or uncovered following the sanitizing operation. Milk lines
once sanitized must never be taken apart without rewashing and re-
sanitizing. This practice will eliminate the many possibilities of contami-
nating the milk contact surfaces during extended periods of storage.

3. The sanitizer must be labeled for food contact surfaces and used at
the recommended strengths and temperatures. Increasing the
recommended strength of any sanitizer is not only damaging to the
equipment, but also could leave toxic chemical residues on the
equipment which will contaminate the milk supply. (The use of

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