Ohio Administrative Code|Rule 901:3-23-09 | Process controls and verification.

                                                
(A) In order to meet the requirements of
		  rules 901:3-23-01 to 901:3-23-09 of the Administrative Code, processors of
		  juice products shall include in their hazard analysis and critical control
		  point plans control measures that will consistently produce, at a minimum, a
		  five-log reduction of the pertinent microorganism, for a period at least as
		  long as the shelf life of the product when stored under normal and moderate
		  abuse conditions. For the purposes of this rule, the ``pertinent
		  microorganism'' is the most resistant microorganism of public health
		  significance that is likely to occur in the juice. The following juice
		  processors are exempt from this paragraph:
(1) A juice processor
			 that is subject to the requirements of Chapter 901:3-3 of the Administrative
			 Code and Chapter 901:3-5 of the Administrative Code; and
(2) A juice processor
			 using a single thermal processing step sufficient to achieve shelf-stability of
			 the juice or a thermal concentration process that includes thermal treatment of
			 all ingredients, provided that the processor includes a copy of the thermal
			 process used to achieve shelf-stability or concentration in its written hazard
			 analysis required by rule 901:3-23-03 of the Administrative Code.
(B) All juice processors shall meet the
		  requirements of paragraph (A) of this rule through treatments that are applied
		  directly to the juice, except that citrus juice processors may use treatments
		  to fruit surfaces, provided that the 5-log reduction process begins after
		  culling and cleaning as defined in rule 901:3-23-01 (C)(1) and (C)(7) of the
		  Administrative Code and the reduction is accomplished within a single
		  production facility.
(C) All juice processors shall meet the
		  requirements of paragraphs (A) and (B) of this rule and perform final product
		  packaging within a single production facility operating under the applicable
		  provisions found in Chapter 901:3-17 of the Administrative Code. Processors
		  claiming an exemption under paragraph (A)(1) or (A)(2) of this rule shall also
		  process and perform final product packaging of all juice subject to the claimed
		  exemption within a single production facility operating under the applicable
		  provisions found in Chapter 901:3-17 of the Administrative Code.
(D) Each juice processor that relies on
		  treatments that do not come into direct contact with all parts of the juice to
		  achieve the requirements of this rule shall analyze the finished product for
		  biotype I Escherichia coli at an approved laboratory at the following frequency
		  and sample sizes:
(1) One twenty mL sample
			 (consisting of two ten mL subsamples) for each one-thousand gallons of juice
			 produced shall be sampled each production day. If less than one thousand
			 gallons of juice is produced per day, the sample must be taken for each
			 one-thousand gallons produced but not less than once every five working days
			 that the facility is producing that juice. Each subsample shall be taken by
			 randomly selecting a package of juice ready for distribution to
			 consumers.
(2) If the facility is
			 producing more than one type of juice covered by this rule, processors shall
			 take subsamples according to paragraph (D)(1) of this rule for each of the
			 covered juice products produced.
(3) Processors shall
			 analyze each subsample for the presence of E. coli by a method designed to
			 detect the presence or absence of E. coli in a twenty mL sample of juice
			 (consisting of two ten mL subsamples).
(4) If either ten mL
			 subsample is positive for E. coli, the twenty mL sample is recorded as positive
			 and the processor shall:
(a) Review monitoring records for the control measures to attain
				the five-log reduction standard and correct those conditions and practices that
				are not met.
(b) If the review of monitoring records or the additional testing
				indicates that the five-log reduction standard was not achieved, the processor
				shall take corrective action as set forth in rule 901:3-23-05 of the
				Administrative Code.
(5) If two samples in a
			 series of seven tests are positive for E. coli, the control measures to attain
			 the five-log reduction standard shall be deemed to be inadequate and the
			 processor shall immediately:
(a) Use an alternative process or processes that achieve the
				five-log reduction after the juice has been expressed until corrective actions
				are completed;
(b) Perform a review of the monitoring records for control
				measures to attain the five-log reduction standard. The review shall be
				sufficiently extensive to determine if there are trends towards loss of
				control:
(i) If the conditions and
				  practices are not being met, correct those that do not conform to the HACCP
				  plan; or
(ii) If the conditions
				  and practices are being met, the processor shall validate the HACCP plan in
				  relation to the five-log reduction standard.
(c) Take corrective action as set forth in rule 901:3-23-05 of
				the Administrative Code.