ARTICLE 3. Milk Products Plant Sanitation [33761. - 33782.]

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC 3.
in effect

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33762. Section 33762.

Milk or cream, or any product of milk or cream, shall not be received, by a milk products plant if such milk or cream, or product of milk or cream, comes within any of the following classes: (a) Is impure, tainted, unclean, adulterated, or unwholesome. (b) Has reached an advanced stage of fermentation. (c) Shows a state of putrefactive fermentation. (d) Contains foreign substances which are detrimental to the quality of the product manufactured from the milk or cream or the product of milk or cream.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33763. Section 33763.

The utensils and apparatus that come in contact with milk or its products shall be thoroughly washed and afterwards sterilized each time they are used by heating them to a temperature above 200 degrees Fahrenheit, or by a chemical or other sterilization process which has been approved by the director and which is used in the manner established by regulation of the director.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33764. Section 33764.

The cans or other containers in which the milk or milk products are received, transported, or delivered shall be thoroughly washed, sterilized, and dried after emptying and before being sent out to be used again.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33766. Section 33766.

The inside surfaces of any equipment, apparatus, or container, which comes in contact with milk or its products, shall be smooth and readily cleanable and free of open seams, cracks, or crevices. All openings in covers of tanks, vats, separators or other equipment shall be protected by raised edges or otherwise to prevent the entrance of surface drainage. Every tank in which milk or a milk product is stored shall be equipped with an accurate thermometer. All surface coolers shall be equipped with condensate deflectors and tight-fitting shields.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33766.5. Section 33766.5.

Recirculated cold water which is used in coolers and exchangers shall be obtained from a safe source and protected from contamination. Any freezing point depressant shall be nontoxic. All bottling or packaging machine supply tanks and bowls shall have covers which are constructed to prevent any contamination from reaching the inside of the filler tank or bowl. A drip deflector shall be installed on each filler valve. All conveyors which deliver sterile containers to bottling or packaging facilities shall be afforded overhead protection from contamination. Pasteurized milk and any milk product shall be conducted from one piece of equipment to another only through sanitary piping.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33767. Section 33767.

The floor shall be constructed of concrete or other impervious material which is acceptable to the director. It shall be so constructed as to be watertight and so sloped that all drainage will flow to one or more points of drainage. The floors shall be readily cleanable.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33768. Section 33768.

Floor drains shall be provided which are properly trapped to exclude odors and connected to a sewer line that will convey refuse milk, water, and sewage away to a point at least 100 feet distant from the milk products plant.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33771. Section 33771.

No building which is used in connection with any milk products plant shall be used for any purpose except the handling of milk and milk products, equipment, apparatus, or containers of milk or milk products.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33772. Section 33772.

The water supply shall be properly located and constructed so as to be easily accessible, adequately operated, and protected against contamination. The bacterial quality shall conform to standards of the State Board of Public Health for public supplies of drinking water.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33773. Section 33773.

A cesspool, privy vault, hog yard, slaughterhouse, manure, or any decaying vegetable or animal matter shall not be so located as to become a nuisance or to permit foul odors to reach such milk products plant.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33775. Section 33775.

There shall be sufficient light in each room equivalent to not less than one 50-watt electric light per 100 square feet of floor area, reasonably and efficiently distributed. All rooms shall be adequately ventilated.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33776. Section 33776.

Tight, sound, and cleanable walls and ceilings shall be provided. The walls shall be constructed of nonabsorbent material, acceptable to the director, sufficiently above the floor to take care of any splash and to prevent the flowing or seepage of water or other fluids underneath or between the wall and the floor or supporting members.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33777. Section 33777.

A suitable toilet, with self-closing door, and lavatory facilities, soap, and clean towels shall be provided for employees. A toilet shall not communicate directly with any room which is used for handling milk or its products or with any room which is used for the washing, sterilizing, and storage of containers and supplies.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33778. Section 33778.

The bodies or wearing apparel of persons who are employed or come in contact with any milk or its products shall be kept clean and shall be washed from time to time with reasonable frequency.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33779. Section 33779.

(a) No person who is connected with, or employed in, a milk products plant and liable to come in contact with milk or milk products or the milk products plant operations, shall be afflicted with any communicable disease or in a condition to disseminate the germs of any communicable disease. (b) The director, in addition to the authority granted by this section and by Sections 33517, 35862, and 35892, shall require the physical examination and testing of any dairy farm workers or milk products plant employees when there is reasonable cause to believe a worker or employee could be infected with a milk-borne disease.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33781. Section 33781.

A room in which cheese and cheese products are cut, wrapped, and packaged into individual consumer packages shall be maintained in accordance with the sanitary requirements of this chapter. However, foods which do not affect the flavor or quality of the cheese and cheese products and are not maintained in accordance with the sanitary requirements of this chapter may be handled in such a room.

Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 33782. Section 33782.

All of the provisions of this chapter apply to any building or structure in which any product resembling a milk product is manufactured, processed, or compounded. However, food which does not affect the flavor or quality of the products and which is not maintained in accordance with the sanitary requirements of this chapter may be handled in the building or structure.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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