Section 410IAC7-21-43. Equipment and utensils

   (a) All processing equipment and utensils shall be so designed and of such material and workmanship as to be effectively cleanable and shall be properly maintained. The design, construction, and use of equipment and utensils shall preclude the adulteration of food with lubricants, fuel, metal fragments, contaminated water, or any other contaminants. All equipment shall be so installed and maintained as to facilitate the cleaning of the equipment and of all adjacent spaces. Food-contact surfaces shall be corrosion-resistant when in contact with food. They shall be made of nontoxic materials and designed to withstand the environment of their intended use and the action of food and, if applicable, cleaning compounds and sanitizing agents. Food-contact surfaces shall be maintained to protect food from being contaminated by any source, including unlawful indirect food additives by the following means:

(1) Seams on food-contact surfaces shall be smoothly bonded or maintained so as to minimize accumulation of food particles, dirt, and organic matter and thus minimize the opportunity for growth of micro-organisms.

(2) Equipment that is in the manufacturing or food-handling area and that does not come into contact with food shall be so constructed that it can be maintained in a clean condition.

(3) Holding, conveying, and manufacturing systems, including gravimetric, pneumatic, closed, and automated systems, shall be of a design and construction that enables them to be maintained in an appropriate sanitary condition.

  (b) Each freezer and refrigeration unit, including transportation vehicles, used to store, hold, or transport food capable of supporting growth of micro-organisms shall be fitted with an indicating thermometer, temperature measuring device, or temperature recording device so installed as to show the temperature accurately within the compartment and should be fitted with an automatic control for regulating temperature or with an automatic alarm system to indicate a significant temperature change in a manual operation. The operator shall do the following:

(1) Record the temperature shown by each measuring device installed in the unit, with the date on which the temperature reading was taken. Temperature shall be monitored and recorded at least weekly.

(2) Retain and have available for inspection the temperature records for the last six (6) months.

  (c) Instruments and controls used for measuring, regulating, or recording temperatures, pH, acidity, water activity, or other conditions that control or prevent the growth of undesirable micro-organisms in food shall be accurate and adequately maintained, sufficient in number for their designated uses, and calibrated at the frequency recommended by the manufacturer of the device. The ambient air temperature measuring devices that are scaled in Fahrenheit shall be accurate to plus or minus three (3) degrees Fahrenheit in the intended range of use.

  (d) The amount of food stored in a refrigerator or frozen food storage unit shall not exceed the designed capacity of that unit.

  (e) Compressed air or other gases mechanically introduced into food or used to clean food-contact surfaces or equipment shall be treated in such a way that food is not contaminated with unlawful indirect food additives. (Indiana State Department of Health; 410 IAC 7-21-43; filed Jan 7, 2002, 10:16 a.m.: 25 IR 1625, eff one hundred twenty (120) days after filing with secretary of state; readopted filed Jul 14, 2008, 2:14 p.m.: 20080806-IR-410080322RFA; readopted filed Sep 10, 2014, 2:08 p.m.: 20141008-IR-410140299RFA)