Section 410IAC7-24-173. Packaged and unpackaged food; separation, packaging, and segregation

   (a) Food shall be protected from cross-contamination by the following:

(1) 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 vegetables; and

(B) cooked 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, or arranging each type of food in equipment so that cross-contamination of one (1) type with another is prevented; and

(B) preparing each type of food at different times or in separate areas.

(3) Cleaning equipment and utensils as specified under section 296(a) of this rule and sanitizing as specified under section 303 of this rule.

(4) Cleaning hermetically sealed containers of food of visible soil before opening.

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

(6) Storing damaged, spoiled, or recalled food being held in the retail food establishment as specified under section 202 of this rule.

(7) Separating fruits and vegetables, before they are washed, as specified under section 175 of this rule from ready-to-eat food.

  (b) Subsection (a)(4) does not apply to the following:

(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 section 190(b)(2) of this rule.

(5) Shellstock.

  (c) For purposes of this section, a violation of subsection (a) or (b) is a critical item. (Indiana State Department of Health; 410 IAC 7-24-173; filed Oct 13, 2004, 12:30 p.m.: 28 IR 853; readopted filed Jul 15, 2010, 12:12 p.m.: 20100728-IR-410100261RFA; readopted filed Nov 10, 2016, 8:45 a.m.: 20161207-IR-410160371RFA)