15A NCAC 18A .2809      FOOD SERVICE EQUIPMENT AND UTENSILS

In child care centers, material, construction, and use of food service equipment and utensils shall meet the following requirements:

(1)           Utensils shall be made of nonabsorbent material that is free from hazards, finished to have a smooth surface, and shall be kept clean and in good repair.

(2)           Food-contact surfaces shall be smooth, nonabsorbent, free of sharp corners, and kept clean and in good repair. Hard wood may be used for cutting boards, cutting blocks, or bakers' tables.

(3)           Other surfaces that do not come into contact with food shall be made of nonabsorbent material and shall be kept clean and in good repair.

(4)           Galvanized metal shall not be used for utensils, food-contact surfaces, or cooking equipment that comes into contact with food.

(5)           Linens shall not be used as food-contact surfaces, except that clean linen may be used in contact with bread and rolls.

(6)           Single‑use and single‑service articles shall be kept clean.

(7)           Reuse of single‑service articles is prohibited.

(8)           Single-use articles shall be used only once, except that containers made of plastic, glass or other material intended for food storage, with smooth sides may be reused.

(9)           Water filters or any other water conditioning devices shall be kept clean and in good repair and shall be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

(10)         Filters and other grease extracting equipment shall be kept clean and in good repair and shall be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 110‑91;

Eff. July 1, 1991;

Amended Eff. January 1, 2006; February 1, 1995;

Readopted Eff. July 1, 2023.