# COMAR Title 10 — Maryland Department of Health

## Subtitle 15 — Food

### Chapter 04 — Food and Drink Processing and Transportation

#### Regulation .11 Sanitary Operation.

*COMAR 10.15.04.11*

The person-in-charge shall ensure that:

A. All food processing, food storage, and food-packaging storage areas are maintained in a clean and sanitary manner;

B. Equipment is used and maintained to avoid contamination and allergen cross-contact of food;

C. Food-packaging material is stored to be protected from contamination;

D. Overall sanitation of the plant is under the supervision of one or more qualified individuals;

E. The equipment and facilities needed for cleaning and sanitizing food-contact surfaces are provided and maintained in a sanitary condition;

F. Cleaning and sanitizing of plant facilities, equipment, and utensils are conducted in a manner that protects against allergen cross-contact and against contamination of:

  (1) Food;

  (2) Food-contact surfaces; and

  (3) Food-packaging materials;

G. All food-contact surfaces are cleaned and sanitized as frequently as necessary to protect against allergen cross-contact and against contamination of food;

H. Before use, food-contact surfaces used for processing or holding low-moisture food are:

  (1) Clean;

  (2) Dry; and

  (3) Sanitary;

I. Food-contact surfaces are cleaned and sanitized before use and after any interruption during which the food-contact surfaces may have become contaminated;

J. When equipment and utensils are washed, rinsed, and sanitized using a three-compartment sink:

  (1) Each sink compartment is sized to allow sufficient immersion of the equipment or utensils; and

  (2) The washed, rinsed, and sanitized items are dry before stacking or nesting;

K. Non-food-contact surfaces of equipment used in the operation of a food plant are cleaned as frequently as necessary to be maintained in a sanitary condition;

L. Cleaned equipment and utensils are stored to prevent contamination of the equipment and utensils;

M. Toxic chemicals, cleaning compounds, sanitizing agents, and pesticide chemicals used in the facility are:

  (1) Safe and adequate under the conditions of use;

  (2) Used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and applicable State laws and regulations; and

  (3) Identified and stored in a manner that protects against contaminating:

    (a) Food;

    (b) Food-contact surfaces; or

    (c) Food-packaging materials;

N. All processing and storage areas are maintained free of pests;

O. Effective measures are taken to:

  (1) Monitor for and exclude pests from processing and storage areas; and

  (2) Protect against the contamination of food by pests;

P. The food storage area of a transportation vehicle is:

  (1) Maintained in a clean and sanitary condition; and

  (2) Inspected as often as necessary to maintain it in a clean and sanitary condition;

Q. Containers, equipment, and vehicles used to convey or hold human food by-products for use as animal food before distribution are:

  (1) Cleaned as necessary;

  (2) Examined prior to use to protect against contamination from the container or vehicle; and

  (3) Maintained to protect against contamination; and

R. If ready-to-eat foods are processed, environmental testing is conducted when necessary to demonstrate effectiveness of sanitation operations.