Adulteration of product by polluted water; procedure for handling.
9 C.F.R. § 318.14
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01(a) In the event there is polluted water (including but not limited to flood water) in an official establishment, all products and ingredients for use in the preparation of such products that have been rendered adulterated by the water shall be condemned.
(b) After the polluted water has receded from an official establishment, all walls, ceilings, posts, and floors of the rooms and compartments involved, including the equipment therein, shall, under the supervision of an inspector, be cleaned thoroughly by the official establishment personnel. An adequate supply of hot water under pressure is essential to make such cleaning effective. After cleaning, a solution of sodium hypochlorite containing approximately one-half of 1 percent available chlorine (5,000 p/m) or other equivalent disinfectant approved by the Administrator
1 shall be applied to the surface of the rooms and equipment and rinsed with potable water before use.
(c) Hermetically sealed containers of product which have been contaminated by polluted water shall be examined promptly by the official establishment under supervision of an inspector and rehandled as follows:
(1) Separate and condemn all product in damaged or extensively rusted containers.
(2) Remove paper labels and wash the remaining containers in warm soapy water, using a brush where necessary to remove rust or other foreign material. Disinfect these containers by either of the following methods:
(i) Immerse in a solution of sodium hypochlorite containing not less than 100 p/m of available chlorine or other equivalent disinfectant approved by the Administrator,
1
rinse in potable water, and dry thoroughly; or
(ii) Immerse in 212 °F. water, bring temperature of the water back to 212 °F. and maintain the temperature at 212 °F. for 5 minutes, then remove containers from water and cool them to 95 °F. and dry thoroughly.
(3) After handling as described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, the containers may be relacquered, if necessary, and then relabeled with approved labels applicable to the product therein.
(4) The identity of the canned product shall be maintained throughout all stages of the rehandling operations to insure correct labeling of the containers.
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-9.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026