Issue View | Council I | 2016 Biennial Meeting

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IMC 4 – Amend Annex 7, Guide 3B Food Establishment Marking Instructions

The Ice Maker Equipment Cleaning and Sanitizing committee surveyed the State Delegates of The Conference for Food Protection with regard to the inspection process: "Do your adopted rules relating to ice machine cleaning and/or sanitizing frequency or procedures vary in any significant way from the 2013 FDA Food Code?" and "Does your agency have any guidance documents for inspectors and/or operators relating to commercial ice makers and/or ancillary ice handling equipment and their cleaning and sanitizing frequency and/or clean in place procedures?" Ninety-eight percent use rules based off the current FDA Food Code. Ninety-six percent do not have guidance available on the cleaning of ice machines. Even though the survey results indicated 3,763 violations related to mold or soil accumulation in the visible areas of the ice machines in 2014, there were no violations identified regarding internal components of the ice maker. A specific reminder for the inspection of ice machines including the not readily accessible areas can be included in the Food Establishment marking instructions.

When cleaning and sanitizing of ice machines is not performed following procedures specified by the Food Code, microbial and soil accumulation appears to be a common issue in commercial ice machines. Most of the microbiological data available does not include foodborne pathogens and is limited to total bacteria, yeasts, molds and coliform counts. Ice contamination may occur from various sources including but not limited to the ice machine, water or ice handling practices. The food contact surfaces within the ice machine could be potential areas for pathogen growth. Including a specific reference to ice machines in the Food Establishment marking instructions will reinforce the need for inspectors to evaluate ice machine cleanliness and sanitization on a regular basis.

that a letter be sent to the FDA recommending that the 2013 Food Code be amended as follows (language to be added is underlined):

Update the Food Establishment marking instructions in Annex 7, Guide 3B under items 16 and 47 to specifically include references to ice making and storage components that may not be readily accessible.

16. Food-contact surfaces: cleaned and sanitized

...This item must be marked OUT of compliance when manual and/or mechanical methods of cleaning and sanitizing food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils are ineffective; or if one continuous-use piece of equipment such as an ice machine or one multiuse piece of equipment such as a slicer or can opener is visibly soiled and being used at the time of the inspection.

47. Food and non-food-contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed and used

Equipment and utensils including ice machines must be properly designed and constructed, and in good repair to enable ready access to the internal food contact surfaces for cleaning, sanitization and inspection. Proper installation and location of equipment in the food establishment are important factors to consider for ease of cleaning in preventing accumulation of debris and attractants for insects and rodents. The components in a vending machine must be properly designed to facilitate cleaning and protect food products (e.g. equipped with automatic shutoff, etc.) from potential contamination. Equipment must be properly used and in proper adjustment, such as calibrated food thermometers....