15A NCAC 18A .1618      FOOD SERVICE UTENSILS AND EQUIPMENT

(a)  All equipment and utensils shall be so constructed as to be easily cleaned and shall be kept in good repair.  All surfaces with which food or drink comes in contact shall, in addition, be easily accessible for cleaning, nontoxic, corrosion‑resistant, nonabsorbent, and free of open crevices.  Disposable articles shall be made from nontoxic materials.

(b)  All multi‑use eating and drinking utensils shall be thoroughly cleaned after each usage, and the facilities needed for the operations of washing and rinsing shall be provided.

(c)  All pots, pans and other utensils used in the preparation or serving of food or drink, and all food storage utensils, shall be thoroughly cleaned after each use.  Cooking surfaces of equipment, if any, shall be cleaned at least once each day.  Non‑food‑contact surfaces of equipment shall be cleaned at such intervals as to keep them in a clean and sanitary condition.

(d)  No polish or other substance containing cyanide or other poisonous material shall be used for the cleaning or polishing of eating or cooking utensils.

(e)  All cloths used in the kitchen shall be clean.  Disposable items shall be used only once.

(f)  All containers and clean utensils shall be stored in a clean place.  Containers and clean utensils shall be covered, inverted, stored in tight, clean cabinets, or otherwise stored in such a manner as to prevent contamination.  After cleaning and until use, food‑contact surfaces of equipment shall be protected from contamination.  Utensils shall be handled in such a manner as to prevent contamination.

(g)  Disposable utensils shall be purchased only in sanitary containers, shall be stored therein in a clean, dry place until used, and shall be handled in a sanitary manner.

(h)  Acceptable facilities for washing multi‑use eating and drinking utensils, and pots, pans and other cooking utensils, include 2‑section residential sinks, in counters.  It is not necessary that such sinks be deep enough to permit immersion of large utensils.

(i)  Acceptable storage facilities include residential kitchen cabinets, which should be kept clean and free of vermin.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 130A‑235;

Eff. February 1, 1976;

Readopted Eff. December 5, 1977;

Amended Eff. September 1, 1990.