The person-in-charge shall ensure that:

1. A. Individuals in the plant:

   1. (1) Practice good personal hygiene;
   2. (2) Are excluded from working with food when the individuals are sick with an illness that is transmittable through food;
   3. (3) While working with food, wash the individuals' hands frequently and after an activity that is likely to soil the hands;
   4. (4) Wear clean outerwear, hair coverings, and no jewelry;
   5. (5) If handling crabs or crab meat, maintain trim and clean fingernails, and do not wear false fingernails;
   6. (6) Store personal items in a designated non-food area; and
   7. (7) Do not smoke or engage in an activity that might contaminate food;
2. B. Picking trays, knives, and gloves are washed, rinsed, and sanitized before use and after each delivery of crab meat to the packing room;

3. C. Except as provided in §B of this regulation, food contact surfaces are cleaned and sanitized:

   1. (1) As often as needed to prevent food contamination; and

   2. (2) At a minimum:

      1. (a) Following processing; and
      2. (b) Between an interruption in processing of greater than 2 hours;

4. D. During processing, gross soil is removed from food contact surfaces and the surfaces are sanitized:

   1. (1) After a continuous use of 6 hours; and
   2. (2) After an interruption in processing of greater than 30 minutes;
5. E. When a time greater than 8 hours separates the start of processing from previous cleaning and sanitizing, food contact surfaces are sanitized again before work resumes;

6. F. Non-food contact surfaces that receive splash or waste are cleaned and sanitized:

   1. (1) As often as necessary to maintain a sanitary condition; and
   2. (2) At a minimum following each day's use;

7. G. Cleaning procedures:

   1. (1) Include the use of detergents or other cleaning chemicals; and
   2. (2) Remove soils;
8. H. The sanitization of surfaces is effective in killing pathogens on the treated surface;
9. I. Non-food contact surfaces that do not receive splash or waste are cleaned as often as necessary to maintain a sanitary condition;
10. J. Before cleaning, all food and food packaging is removed from the area being cleaned;
11. K. Cleaning and sanitizing occur in a manner that protects food from contamination;
12. L. In-use and cleaned equipment and utensils are stored to prevent contamination of the equipment and utensils;
13. M. Waste, including chum, is held in a sanitary manner and disposed of to maintain the plant grounds in a sanitary condition; and
14. N. Outdoor containers for chum that are not vermin-proof or insect-proof are removed daily and transported to a disposal site.

Authority: Health-General Article, §§18-102, 21-211, 21-234, 21-304, 21-321, 21-339, 21-340, and 21-350, Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date: March 15, 1955

Amended effective September 3, 1957

Regulations .01—.06 amended effective September 14, 1977 (4:19 Md. R. 1468)

Regulation .03C amended and .05-1 adopted effective September 30, 1994 (21:9 Md. R. 751)

Regulations .01—.06 repealed and new Regulations .01—.15 adopted effective August 5, 2002 (29:15 Md. R. 1142)

Regulation .01B amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .02 repealed effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .05B, C amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .07G amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .08C—E amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .09 amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .10 amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .11B amended effective February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 272)

Regulation .11H, J amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .12 amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .13B, D amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .14 amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .15B, C amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .15C amended effective February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 272)

Regulation .15E repealed effective February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 272)