007.10.17-4. EQUIPMENT AND UTENSILS
AR ADC 007.10.17-4Arkansas Administrative Code
Ark. Admin. Code 007.10.17-4
007.10.17-4. EQUIPMENT AND UTENSILS
Materials
4-401 General | ||
Item | Interpretation | |
Multi-use equipment and utensils shall be constructed and repaired with safe materials, including | 14 | constructed |
finishing materials; shall be corrosion resistant and non-absorbent; and shall be easily cleanable and durable under conditions of normal use. Single service articles shall be made from clean, sanitary safe materials. Equipment, utensils, and single service articles shall not impart odors, color, or taste nor contribute to the contamination of food. | 15 | constructed |
4-102 Solder | ||
If solder is used it shall be composed of safe materials and be corrosion resistant. | 14 | constructed |
4-103 Wood | ||
Hard maple or equivalently non-absorbent material that meets the general requirements set forth in section 4-101 of these Regulations may be used for cutting blocks, cutting boards, salad bowls, and baker's tables. Wood may be used for single service articles such as chopsticks, stirrers, or ice cream spoons. The use of wood as a food contact surface under other circumstances is prohibited. | 14 | constructed |
4-104 Plastics | ||
Safe plastic or safe rubber or safe rubber like materials that are resistant under normal conditions of use to scratching, scoring, decomposition, crazing, chipping and distortion, that are of sufficient weight and thickness to permit cleaning and sanitizing by normal dishwashing methods, and which meet the general requirements set forth in section 4-101 of these Regulations are permitted for repeated use. | 14 | constructed |
4-105 Mollusk and crustacea shells | ||
Mollusk and crustacea shells may be used only once as a serving container. Further re-use of such shells for food service is prohibited. | 14 | constructed |
4-106 Single service | ||
Re-use of single service articles is prohibited. | 26 | re-use |
REASON: Food poisoning has occurred as a result of the ingestion of acidic food or drink which has been in contact with equipment or utensils containing such metals and/or their salts, such as cadmium, lead, and zinc. Therefore, the product surfaces of equipment, utensils, and single service articles must be nontoxic and must not cause prohibited food additives to migrate into food, nor present uncleanable surfaces due to poor design or poor durability under use conditions.
Design and Fabrication
4-201 General | ||
All equipment and utensils, including plasticware, | 14 | designed |
shall be designed and fabricated for durability under | 14 | constructed |
conditions of normal use and shall be resistant to denting, | 15 | designed |
buckling, pitting, chipping, and crazing. | 14 | constructed |
(a) Food-contact surfaces shall be easily cleanable and free of breaks, open seams, cracks, chips, pits | 14 | constructed |
and similar imperfections, and free of difficult-to-clean internal corners and crevices. Cast iron may be used as a food-contact surface only if the surface is heated, such as in grills, griddle tops, and skillets. Threads shall be designed to facilitate cleaning; ordinary “V” type threads are prohibited in food contact surfaces, except that in equipment such as ice makers or hot oil cooking equipment and hot oil filtering systems such threads shall be minimized. | 14 | designed |
(b) Equipment containing bearings and gears requiring | 14 | designed |
unsafe lubricants shall be designed and constructed | 14 | constructed |
so that the lubricant cannot leak, drip, or be forced into food or onto food-contact surfaces. Only safe lubricants shall be used on equipment designed to receive lubrication of bearings and gears on or within food contact surfaces. | 8 | preparation |
(c) Tubing conveying beverages or beverage ingredients to dispensing heads may be in contact with stored ice: Provided, that such tubing is fabricated from safe materials, is grommeted at entry and exit points to preclude moisture (condensation) from entering the ice machine or the ice storage bin and is kept clean. | 14 | constructed |
Drainage or drainage tubes from dispensing units shall | 8 | storage |
not pass through the ice machine or the ice storage or ice storage bin. | 14 | designed |
(d) Sinks and drain boards shall be self-draining. | 16 | designed |
4-202 Accessibility | ||
Unless designed for in place cleaning food-contact surfaces shall be accessible for cleaning and inspection: | ||
(a) Without being disassembled; or | ||
(b) By disassembling without the use of tools; or | 14 | designed |
(c) By easy disassembling with the use of only simple tools such as a mallet, a screwdriver, or an open end wrench kept available near the equipment. | ||
4-203 In-place cleaning | ||
Equipment intended for in-place cleaning shall be so designed and fabricated that: | ||
(a) Cleaning and sanitizing solutions can be circulated throughout a fixed system using an effective cleaning and sanitizing regimen; and | 14 | designed |
(b) Cleaning and sanitizing solutions will contact all interior food-contact surfaces; and | 14 | constructed |
(c) The system is self-draining or capable of being completely evacuated. | ||
4-204 Pressure spray cleaning | ||
Fixed equipment designed and fabricated to be | 14 | designed |
cleaned and sanitized by pressure spray methods shall | 14 | constructed |
have sealed electrical wiring, switches, and | 15 | designed |
connections. | 15 | constructed |
4-205 Thermometers | ||
Indicating thermometers required for immersion into food or cooking media shall be of metal stem type construction, numerically scaled and accurate to ±2°F. | 14 | constructed |
4-206 Non-food contact surfaces | ||
Surfaces of equipment not intended for contact with food but which are exposed to splash or food | 15 | designed |
debris or which otherwise require frequent cleaning, shall be designed and fabricated to be easily cleanable, washable, free of unnecessary ledges, projections, or crevices and readily accessible for cleaning and shall be of such material and in such repair as to be easily maintained in a clean and sanitary condition. | 15 | constructed |
4-207 Ventilation hoods | ||
Ventilation hoods and devices shall be designed to prevent grease or condensation from collecting on walls and ceilings and from dripping into food or onto food contact surfaces. Filters or other grease extracting equipment shall be readily removable for cleaning and replacement if not designed to be cleaned in place. | 15 | designed |
4-208 Existing equipment | ||
Equipment that was installed in a food service establishment prior to the effective date of these | 14 | constructed |
Regulations and that does not fully meet all of the | 14 | maintained |
design and fabrication requirements of this section | 15 | constructed |
shall be deemed acceptable in that establishment if it is in good repair capable of being maintained in a sanitary condition, and the food contact surfaces are nontoxic. Replacement equipment and new equipment acquired after the effective date of these Regulations shall meet the requirements of these Regulations. | 15 | maintained |
REASON: Equipment and utensils that do not meet the design and fabrication requirements of these Regulations are difficult to clean thoroughly and permit accumulations of food and other soil which support bacterial growth. Accumulations of food or other soil in difficult to clean places on equipment may also create an insect and rodent control problem and may cause unpleasant odors. While it would be desirable from a public health standpoint to require prompt replacement of equipment in an existing establishment that does not meet the design and fabrication requirements of these Regulations, such an approach is not economically practicable. Continued use of equipment that does not meet the requirements is appropriate if it is in good repair, capable of being maintained in a sanitary condition and has non toxic food contact surfaces. Replacement and new equipment should, of course, meet all requirements of these Regulations.
Equipment Installation and Location
4-301 General | ||
All equipment shall be so installed within the establishment to facilitate the cleaning thereof and of all adjacent areas. Equipment including ice | 14 | located |
makers and ice storage equipment, shall not be located under exposed or unprotected sewer lines or water lines, open stairwells, or other sources of contamination. This requirement does not apply to automatic fire protection sprinkler heads that may be required by law. | 15 | located |
4-302 Table mounted equipment | ||
(a) Equipment that is placed on tables or counters, unless portable shall be sealed to the table or counter provide at least a 4-inch clearance between the table or counter and equipment and shall be installed to facilitate cleaning of the equipment and adjacent areas. | 15 | installed |
(b) Equipment is portable within the meaning of section 4-302 (a) of these Regulations if: | ||
(1) It is small and light enough to be moved easily by one person and; | ||
(2) It has no utility connections or has a utility connection that disconnects quickly or has a flexible utility connection line of sufficient length to permit the equipment to be moved for easy cleaning. | ||
4-303 Floor mounted equipment | ||
(a) Floor mounted equipment, unless readily movable, shall be: | ||
(1) Sealed to the floor; or | ||
(2) Installed on a raised platform of concrete or other smooth masonry in a way that meets all the requirements for sealing or floor clearance; or | 15 | installed |
(3) Elevated on legs to provide at least a 6-inch clearance between the floor and equipment, except that vertically mounted floor mixers may be elevated to provide at least a 4-inch clearance between the floor and equipment if no part of the floor under the mixer is more than 6 inches from cleaning access. | ||
(b) Equipment is easily movable if: | ||
(1) It is mounted on wheels or casters; and | ||
(2) It has no utility connection or has a utility connection that disconnects quickly or has a flexible utility line of sufficient length to permit the equipment to be moved for easy cleaning. | ||
(c) Unless sufficient space is provided for easy cleaning between, behind and above each unit of fixed | 15 | located |
equipment, the space between it and adjoining equipment units and adjacent walls or ceilings shall be closed; or if exposed to seepage the equipment shall be sealed to the adjoining equipment or adjacent walls or ceilings. | 15 | installed |
4-304 Aisles and working spaces | ||
Aisles and working spaces between units of equipment and walls shall be unobstructed and of sufficient width to permit employees to perform their duties readily without contamination of food or food-contact surfaces by clothing or personal contact. All easily movable storage equipment such as pallets, racks, and dollies shall be positioned to provide accessibility to working areas. | 15 | located |
REASON: Equipment must be installed and located to prevent contamination of food and food-contact surfaces and to permit the thorough cleaning of the equipment and adjacent surfaces.
The proper installation and location of equipment reduces the probability of equipment interfaces and adjacent surfaces being potential factors in food contamination by eliminating soil buildup and insect or rodent harborage since these interfaces and surfaces are either easily accessible for thorough cleaning or are sealed to adjoining surfaces to prevent the accumulation of soil.
Current with amendments received through February 15, 2024. Some sections may be more current, see credit for details.
Ark. Admin. Code 007.10.17-4, AR ADC 007.10.17-4
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