1. A. Cheese manufacturing plants that manufacture or process unripened cheese or cheese related products from milk or milk products that were pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized or aseptically processed at another plant without being repasteurized shall conform with all of the requirements for unripened cheese contained in this Part and with the following additional requirements.

   1. 1. All milk or milk products used in the manufacture or processing of unripened cheese or cheese related products shall be Grade A pasteurized or Grade A ultra-pasteurized or aseptically processed and obtained from a plant possessing a valid permit from the state health officer.
   2. 2. All reconstituted milk or milk products shall be pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized or aseptically processed in the dairy plant in which it was reconstituted and shall be obtained from a plant possessing a valid permit from the state health officer.
   3. 3. All milk and milk products, including reconstituted milk and milk products shall be packaged and transported in sealed containers, approved by the state health officer.
   4. 4. Cheese manufacturing plants that manufacture or process unripened cheese made from milk or milk products pasteurized or ultra-pasteurized at another plant without being re-pasteurized or ultra-pasteurized shall develop and implement a HACCP system conforming with the requirements contained in Chapter 11 of this Part.

   5. 5. The cheese manufacturing plant shall:

      1. a. obtain a representative sample of each batch or lot of cheese or related cheese product, manufactured or processed by the plant. Normally, this shall be done by collecting a closed final container of the cheese or the cheese related product, randomly selected, and perform or have a coliform count performed on the sample;
      2. b. perform the sampling procedures and laboratory examination in substantial compliance with the procedures contained in the Standard Methods for the Examination of Dairy Products;
      3. c. record the results of each test and retain the record for a period of one year after the date that the product was produced. These records shall be made available for review by the state health officer;
      4. d. immediately take steps to determine and eliminate the cause when the coliform count of a sample of product exceeds 10 per gm; and,
      5. e. maintain a record, for review by the state health officer, of action taken to correct the cause of each coliform count that exceeded 10 per gm. Such records that shall be retained for a period of one year after the date the product was produced.

2. B. Unripened cheese and related products shall conform with the following bacteriological and temperature standards:

   1. 1. temperaturecooled to 7C (45F) prior to final storage and maintained thereat;
   2. 2. coliform countnot to exceed 10 per gram; and,
   3. 3. pathogensno pathogenic microorganisms of human significance.
3. C. During any consecutive six months, at least four samples of pasteurized or ultra-pasteurized milk or milk products to be used in the manufacture or processing un-ripened cheese or cheese related products shall be taken by the state health officer at the cheese manufacturing plant after receipt of the milk by the plant and prior to being manufactured or processed and tested for standard plate count, coliform count, temperature. The state health officer shall take appropriate regulatory action, as prescribed in §331 of this Part, on violative sample results.
4. D. During any consecutive six months at least four samples of each type of cheese manufactured or processed by each plant shall be taken by the state health officer and tested for coliform count. The state health officer shall take appropriate regulatory action, as prescribed in §331 of this Part, on violative sample results.

Authority Note

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 40:4(A)(1)(a). Also see R.S. 40:5(2)(3)(5)(7)(15)(17) and R.S. 40:922.

Historical Note

HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, LR 37:2717 (September 2011).