1. (1) At a minimum, all licensed child care providers and registered group and family child care providers must:

   1. (a) cook food to the proper temperatures:

      1. (i) chicken, poultry, stuffed foods, and leftovers to 165°F;
      2. (ii) ground meats (including fish, e.g., fish sticks) to 155°F;
      3. (iii) eggs, whole cuts of pork and fish to 145°F; and
      4. (iv) vegetables and fruits for hot holding to 135°F;
   2. (b) hold hot food prior to serving and after cooking at 135°F or hotter;
   3. (c) keep cold food at or below 41°F;
   4. (d) use milk and other dairy products that are pasteurized;
   5. (e) require that hands be properly washed, and single use gloves, tongs, single use napkins, utensils, or deli tissues be used to handle food; and
   6. (f) ensure no people with open wounds or communicable diseases handle food or food utensils.

2. (2) Licensed child care providers must at a minimum:

   1. (a) obtain food from sources that comply with the Montana Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, Title 50, chapter 31, MCA, and not use home canned foods;
   2. (b) dispose of food that has been in family-style service containers, on the table, or in the service area after the meal; and

   3. (c) manage food that is not served family-style in the following way:

      1. (i) cool food and place in the refrigerator within two hours of the meal; and
      2. (ii) reheat food to 165°F within one hour prior to meal service and do not mix with new batches of food.
3. (3) All licensed child care providers and registered group and family child care providers must ensure that a probe type thermometer is available in the facility to check food temperatures and that the thermometer is calibrated and used following the manufacturer's specifications.

4. (4) If using a domestic style dishwasher, all licensed child care providers and registered group and family child care providers must use the heat option to dry the dishes.

   1. (a) Licensed child care facilities must provide at least a two-compartment sink as a backup in the event the dishwasher becomes inoperable.

5. (5) If any licensed child care facility uses a two-compartment sink to hand-wash dishes, the provider must use the wash, rinse, and sanitize three-step process.

   1. (a) All dishware, utensils, and food service equipment are thoroughly cleaned in the first sink compartment with a hot detergent solution, at a concentration indicated on the manufacturer's label, then rinsed with clear water separately, and then dipped/soaked in sanitizer solution in a separate compartment or container that will provide the equivalent bactericidal effect of a solution containing at least 50 ppm of available chlorine at a temperature of at least 75°F for one minute. Dishes must be air dried before being stored.

Authorizing statute(s): 52-2-704, 52-2-735, MCA

Implementing statute(s): 52-2-704, 52-2-735, MCA

History: NEW, 2025 MAR, 37-1044, Eff. 5/1/25.