The operator of a food establishment shall ensure that clean items are dried, reassembled, stored, displayed, and handled in a manner that prevents contamination of the clean items by ensuring that

1. (1) after washing, rinsing, and sanitizing, as specified in 18 AAC 31.422 - 18 AAC 31.424, equipment and utensils are

   1. (A) before use, adequately drained, as specified in 40 C.F.R. 180.940, adopted by reference in 18 AAC 31.011; or
   2. (B) air-dried before contact with food, except that utensils that have been air-dried may be polished with a cloth that is kept clean and dry;
2. (2) if wiping cloths are air-dried after laundering, the cloths are air-dried in a location and in a manner that prevents contamination of food, food-contact surfaces, linens, or single-service or single-use articles or the cloths;
3. (3) equipment is reassembled so that food-contact surfaces are not contaminated;
4. (4) equipment lubricants are applied so that food-contact surfaces are not contaminated;

5. (5) clean equipment and utensils, laundered linens, and single-service and single-use articles are stored in a clean, dry location

   1. (A) at least six inches above the floor on storage shelving, except that items kept in closed packages may be stored on dollies, skids, or open-ended pallets if that equipment is easily movable by hand or with the use of pallet-moving equipment that is available on the premises at all times;
   2. (B) where the items are not exposed to splash, dust, or other contamination, except that laundered linens and single-service or single-use articles that are packaged or in a cabinet may be stored in a locker room; a location that may cause contamination includes a locker room, toilet room, dressing room, garbage room, or mechanical room, or under an exposed sewer line, an open stairwell, a leaking refrigeration condenser, or a leaking or dripping waterline, including a leaking automatic fire sprinkler head or under a line on which water has condensed;
   3. (C) for clean equipment and utensils, covered or inverted in a self-draining position that allows air drying; and
   4. (D) for single-service and single-use articles, in the original protective package or stored by using other means that afford protection from contamination until used;

6. (6) single-service and single-use articles and cleaned and sanitized utensils are handled, displayed, and dispensed so that contamination of food- or lip-contact surfaces is prevented, including ensuring that

   1. (A) knives, forks, or spoons that are not pre-wrapped, either multi-use or single-service, are presented so that only the handles are touched by employees or by consumers if consumer self-service is provided; and
   2. (B) except as specified in (A) of this paragraph, single-service articles that are intended for food- or lip-contact are furnished for consumer self-service with the original individual wrapper intact or from a dispenser;
7. (7) soiled tableware is removed from consumer eating and drinking areas and handled so that clean tableware is not contaminated; and

8. (8) if tableware is pre-set,

   1. (A) each exposed, unused setting is

      1. (i) removed when a consumer is seated; or
      2. (ii) washed, rinsed, and sanitized, as specified in 18 AAC 31.422 - 18 AAC 31.424, before further use if the settings are not removed when a consumer is seated; or
   2. (B) tableware is protected from contamination by wrapping, covering, or inverting the tableware.

(Eff. 5/18/97, Register 142; readopt 12/19/99, Register 152; am 12/28/2006, Register 180)

Authority: AS 17.20.005, AS 17.20.072, AS 17.20.290, AS 17.20.020, AS 17.20.180, AS 44.46.020