Section 18.31.985. Potentially Hazardous Food.

	(a)  For purposes of this chapter, a food is a potentially hazardous food if it requires time or temperature control for safety to limit pathogenic microorganism growth or toxin formation.  
	(b)  Potentially hazardous food includes   
		(1) a food of animal origin that is raw or heat-treated, a food of plant origin that is heat-treated or consists of raw seed sprouts, cut melons, or garlic-in-oil mixtures that are not modified in a way that results in mixtures that do not support pathogenic microorganism growth or toxin formation; and   
		(2) except for a food for which the department has granted a variance under 18 AAC 31.930, a food that, because of the interaction of its water activity and pH values, is designated as PA in Table L or M of this section.  
                                   TABLE L
   INTERACTION OF pH AND WATER ACTIVITY FOR CONTROL OF SPORES IN FOOD HEAT-
        TREATED TO DESTROY VEGETATIVE CELLS AND SUBSEQUENTLY PACKAGED
  WATER ACTIVITY VALUES                        pH VALUES
                               4.6 or less        greater than  greater than
                                                   4.6 and no        5.6
                                                 4.6 greater
                                                 than 5.6
0.92 or less             non-PHF*                non-PHF*      non-PHF*
greater than 0.92 and no
greater than 0.95        non-PHF*                non-PHF*      PA**
greater than 0.95        non-PHF*                PA**          PA**
*non-PHF means non-potentially hazardous food
**PA means a variance granted under 18 AAC 31.930 is required to consider the
food non-PHF
                                   TABLE M
INTERACTION OF pH AND WATER ACTIVITY FOR CONTROL OF VEGETATIVE CELLS AND SPORE
 WATER ACTIVITY VALUES                        pH VALUES
                        less than 4.2 no less than  greater than greater than
                                       4.2 and no    4.6 and no       5.0
                                      greater than  greater than
                                           4.6          5.0
less than 0.88          non-PHF*     non-PHF*      non-PHF*         non-PHF*
no less than 0.88 and
no greater than 0.90    non-PHF*     non-PHF*      non-PHF*         PA**
no less than 0.90 and
no greater than 0.92    non-PHF*     non-PHF*      PA**             PA**
greater than 0.92       non-PHF*     PA**          PA**             PA**
*non-PHF means nonpotentially hazardous food
**PA means a variance granted under 18 AAC 31.930 is required to consider the
food non-PHF
	(c)  Potentially hazardous food does not include  
		(1) a hard-boiled egg with shell intact that has been air-cooled, or an egg with shell intact that is not hard-boiled, but has been pasteurized to destroy all viable Salmonellae;  
		(2) food in an unopened hermetically sealed container that is commercially processed to achieve and maintain commercial sterility under conditions of non-refrigerated storage and distribution;  
		(3) food that, because of its pH or water activity value, or interaction of water activity and pH values, is designated as a non-potentially hazardous food in Table L or M of this section; or  
		(4) food that is designated as PA in Table L or M of this section, if the department has granted a variance under 18 AAC 31.930.  

Authorities

03.05.011;17.20.005;17.20.010;17.20.020;17.20.040;17.20.180

Notes

Reference

18 AAC 31.012
18 AAC 32.699

Authority

AS 03.05.011 AS 17.20.005 AS 17.20.010 AS 17.20.020 AS 17.20.040 AS 17.20.180

History

Eff. 12/28/2006, Register 180