§ 40:652 — Food processing plants; written food processing plan

A. Beginning January 1, 2011, every food processing plant operating within the state shall maintain a written food processing plan which shall be immediately available for review by the department upon request.
B. The secretary shall promulgate rules and regulations, pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, establishing minimum standards and requirements for a written food processing plan. The rules and regulations shall require a food processing plan to include, but not be limited to, a description of the procedures to be used to prevent the presence of hazards such as poisonous or deleterious substances or other contaminants that would render finished foods or finished ingredients, as manufactured, injurious to the public health, a description of preventative controls, monitoring methods to ensure the effectiveness of preventative controls, records of corrective actions, and any actions taken in response to the presence of known hazards.
C. Any food processing plant which maintains a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Plan which meets or exceeds the criteria required for such plan by either the United States Department of Agriculture or the Food and Drug Administration shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirements of this Section.
D. Any person or firm operating a food processing plant that violates the provisions of this Section shall be subject to a civil fine of not more than five hundred dollars.

Legislative History

Acts 2009, No. 341, §1, eff. July 6, 2009.