Minnesota Administrative Rules

4626.0225 PREVENTING CONTAMINATION FROM HANDS (ALSO SEE PART 4626.0070). 3-301.11

A.

Except when washing fruits and vegetables as specified in items C and D or part 4626.0255, food employees shall not contact exposed, ready-to-eat food with their bare hands and shall use suitable utensils such as deli tissue, spatulas, tongs, single-use gloves, or dispensing equipment as specified in part 4626.0255, items C and D._P1

B.

Food employees shall minimize bare hand and arm contact with exposed food that is not in a ready-to-eat form._P2

C.

Item A does not apply to a food employee who contacts exposed, ready-to-eat food with bare hands at the time the ready-to-eat food is being added as an ingredient to a food that:

(1)

contains a raw animal food and is to be cooked in the food establishment to heat all parts of the food to the minimum temperatures and times specified in part 4626.0340, items A and B, or 4626.0345; or

(2)

does not contain a raw animal food but is to be cooked in the food establishment to heat all parts of the food to a temperature of at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

D.

Food employees not serving a highly susceptible population may contact exposed, ready-to-eat food with their bare hands if written procedures are maintained in the food establishment and made available to the regulatory authority upon request that include:

(1)

for each bare hand food-contact procedure, a listing of the specific ready-to-eat foods that are touched by bare hands;

(2)

a written employee health policy that details how the food establishment complies with parts 4626.0040, 4626.0045, and 4626.0050 including:

(a)

documentation that food employees and conditional employees acknowledge that they are informed to report information about their health and activities as they relate to gastrointestinal symptoms and diseases that are transmittable through food as specified under part 4626.0040, item A;

(b)

documentation that food employees and conditional employees acknowledge their responsibilities to comply with exclusion and restriction as specified under part 4626.0040, item E; and

(c)

documentation that the person in charge acknowledges the responsibilities as specified under parts 4626.0040, items B, C, and D; 4626.0045; and 4626.0050;

(3)

documentation that food employees acknowledge that they have received training in:

(a)

the risks to the consumer that are created when employees contact ready-to-eat foods with bare hands;

(b)

proper handwashing as specified under part 4626.0070;

(c)

when to wash their hands as specified under part 4626.0075;

(d)

where to wash their hands as specified under part 4626.0080;

(e)

proper fingernail maintenance as specified under part 4626.0090;

(f)

prohibition of jewelry as specified under part 4626.0095; and

(g)

good hygienic practices as specified under parts 4626.0105 and 4626.0110;

(4)

documentation that food employees contacting ready-to-eat food with bare hands use two or more of the following control measures to provide additional safeguards to hazards associated with bare hand contact:

(a)

double handwashing;

(b)

nail brushes;

(c)

a hand antiseptic after handwashing as specified under part 4626.0085;

(d)

incentive programs such as paid sick leave that assist or encourage food employees not to work when they are ill; or

(e)

other control measures approved by the regulatory authority; and

(5)

documentation that corrective action is taken when requirements in this section are not followed.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 31.101; 31.11; 144.05; 144.07; 144.08; 144.12; 157.011

History:

23 SR 519; 43 SR 295

Published Electronically:

January 2, 2019