Chapter 421. Food Regulations

Sponges shall not be used in contact with cleaned and sanitized or in-use food-contact surfaces.Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

(Repealed.)

(Repealed.)

A. Except as specified in subsections B, C, and D of this section, wood and wood wicker shall not be used as a food-contact surface. B. Hard maple or an equivalently hard, close-grained wood may be used for: 1. Cutting boards; cutting blocks; bakers' tables; and utensils such as …

Multiuse kitchenware such as frying pans, griddles, sauce pans, cookie sheets, and waffle bakers that have a perfluorocarbon resin coating shall be used with nonscoring or nonscratching utensils and cleaning aids. Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

Nonfood-contact surfaces of equipment that are exposed to splash, spillage, or other food soiling or that require frequent cleaning shall be constructed of a corrosion-resistant, nonabsorbent, and smooth material. Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

A. Materials that are used to make single-service and single-use articles shall not: 1. Allow the migration of deleterious substances;P or 2. Impart colors, odors, or tastes to food. B. Materials that are used to make single-service and single-use articles shall be: 1. Safe,P and…

Equipment and utensils shall be designed and constructed to be durable and to retain their characteristic qualities under normal use conditions.Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

Food temperature measuring devices shall not have sensors or stems constructed of glass, except that thermometers with glass sensors or stems that are encased in a shatterproof coating such as candy thermometers may be used.PStatutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code o…

(Repealed.)

A. Multiuse food-contact surfaces shall be: 1. Smooth;Pf 2. Free of breaks, open seams, cracks, chips, inclusions, pits, and similar imperfections;Pf 3. Free of sharp internal angles, corners, and crevices;Pf 4. Finished to have smooth welds and joints;Pf and 5. Except as specifi…

A. CIP equipment shall meet the characteristics specified under 12VAC5-421-1100 and shall be designed and constructed so that: 1. Cleaning and sanitizing solutions circulate throughout a fixed system and contact all interior food-contact surfaces,Pf and 2. The system is self-drai…

"V" type threads shall not be used on food-contact surfaces. This section does not apply to hot oil cooking or filtering equipment.Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

Hot oil filtering equipment shall meet the characteristics specified under 12VAC5-421-1100 or 12VAC5-421-1110 and shall be readily accessible for filter replacement and cleaning of the filter. Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

Cutting or piercing parts of can openers shall be readily removable for cleaning and for replacement. Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

Nonfood-contact surfaces shall be free of unnecessary ledges, projections, and crevices, and designed and constructed to allow easy cleaning and to facilitate maintenance. Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

Kick plates shall be designed so that the areas behind them are accessible for inspection and cleaning by being: 1. Removable by one of the methods specified under subdivision 5 of 12VAC5-421-1100 or capable of being rotated open; and 2. Removable or capable of being rotated open…

Filters or other grease extracting equipment shall be designed to be readily removable for cleaning and replacement if not designed to be cleaned in place. Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

A. Food temperature measuring devices that are scaled only in Celsius or dually scaled in Celsius and Fahrenheit shall be accurate to plus or minus 1°C in the intended range of use.Pf B. Food temperature measuring devices that are scaled only in Fahrenheit shall be accurate to pl…

A. Ambient air and water temperature measuring devices that are scaled in Celsius or dually scaled in Celsius and Fahrenheit shall be designed to be easily readable and accurate to plus or minus 1.5°C in the intended range of use.Pf B. Ambient air and water temperature measuring …

(Repealed.)

Pressure measuring devices that display the pressures in the water supply line for the fresh hot water sanitizing rinse shall have increments of 1 pounds per square inch (7 kilopascals) or smaller and shall be accurate to ±2 pounds per square inch (±14 kilopascals) in the range i…

Exhaust ventilation hood systems in food preparation and warewashing areas including components such as hoods, fans, guards, and ducting shall be designed to prevent grease or condensation from draining or dripping onto food, equipment, utensils, linens, and single-service and si…

A. A cover or lid for equipment shall overlap the opening and be sloped to drain. B. An opening located within the top of a unit of equipment that is designed for use with a cover or lid shall be flanged upward at least two-tenths of an inch (5 millimeters). C. Except as specifie…

In equipment that dispenses or vends liquid food or ice in unpackaged form: 1. The delivery tube, chute, orifice, and splash surfaces directly above the container receiving the food shall be designed in a manner, such as with barriers, baffles, or drip aprons, so that drips from …

The dispensing compartment of a vending machine including a machine that is designed to vend prepackaged snack food that is not time/temperature control for safety food such as chips, party mixes, and pretzels shall be equipped with a self-closing door or cover if the machine is:…

Equipment containing bearings and gears that require lubricants shall be designed and constructed so that the lubricant can not leak, drip, or be forced into food or onto food-contact surfaces. Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

Except for cold plates that are constructed integrally with an ice storage bin, beverage tubing and cold-plate beverage cooling devices may not be installed in contact with stored ice.Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

Liquid waste drain lines shall not pass through an ice machine or ice storage bin.Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

If a condenser unit is an integral component of equipment, the condenser unit shall be separated from the food and food storage space by a dustproof barrier. Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

Cutting or piercing parts of can openers on vending machines shall be protected from manual contact, dust, insects, rodents, and other contamination. Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

Food employees shall keep their hands and exposed portions of their arms clean.PStatutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

A. Except as specified under subsection B of this section, molluscan shellfish life support system display tanks shall not be used to store or display shellfish that are offered for human consumption and shall be conspicuously marked so that it is obvious to consumers that the sh…

A. A machine vending time/temperature control for safety food shall have an automatic control that prevents the machine from vending food: 1. If there is a power failure, mechanical failure, or other condition that results in an internal machine temperature that cannot maintain f…

A. In a mechanically refrigerated or hot food storage unit, the sensor of a temperature measuring device shall be located to measure the air temperature or a simulated product temperature in the warmest part of a mechanically refrigerated unit and in the coolest part of a hot foo…

A warewashing machine shall be provided with an easily accessible and readable data plate affixed to the machine by the manufacturer that indicates the machine's design and operating specifications including the: 1. Temperatures required for washing, rinsing, and sanitizing; 2. P…

Warewashing machine wash and rinse tanks shall be equipped with baffles, curtains, or other means to minimize internal cross contamination of the solutions in wash and rinse tanks. Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

A warewashing machine shall be equipped with a temperature measuring device that indicates the temperature of the water: 1. In each wash and rinse tank;Pf and 2. As the water enters the hot water sanitizing final rinse manifold or in the chemical sanitizing solution tank.PfStatut…

If hot water is used for sanitization in manual warewashing operations, the sanitizing compartment of the sink shall be: 1. Designed with an integral heating device that is capable of maintaining water at a temperature not less than 171°F (77°C);Pf and 2. Provided with a rack or …

A. A warewashing machine installed after March 1, 2002, shall be equipped to: 1. Automatically dispense detergents and sanitizers;Pf and 2. Incorporate a visual means to verify that detergents and sanitizers are delivered or a visual or audible alarm to signal if the detergents a…

A. Warewashing machines that provide a fresh hot water sanitizing rinse shall be equipped with a pressure gauge or similar device such as a transducer that measures and displays the water pressure in the supply line immediately before entering the warewashing machine; and B. If t…

Sinks and drainboards of warewashing sinks and machines shall be self-draining. Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virginia.

A. Except as specified in subsection D of this section, food employees shall clean their hands and exposed portions of their arms or surrogate prosthetic devices for hands or arms for at least 20 seconds, using a cleaning compound in a lavatory that is equipped as specified under…

Equipment compartments that are subject to accumulation of moisture due to conditions such as condensation, food or beverage drip, or water from melting ice shall be sloped to an outlet that allows complete draining. Statutory Authority§§ 35.1-11 and 35.1-14 of the Code of Virgin…

A. Vending machines designed to store beverages that are packaged in containers made from paper products shall be equipped with diversion devices and retention pans or drains for container leakage. B. Vending machines that dispense liquid food in bulk shall be: 1. Provided with a…

Apparatuses, such as dollies, pallets, racks, and skids used to store and transport large quantities of packaged foods received from a supplier in a cased or overwrapped lot, shall be designed to be moved by hand or by conveniently available equipment such as hand trucks and fork…

A. Vending machine doors and access opening covers to food and container storage spaces shall be tight-fitting so that the space along the entire interface between the doors or covers and the cabinet of the machine, if the doors or covers are in a closed position, is no greater t…