44:02:07:60Handling

of clean equipment and utensils. Clean equipment and utensils must be handled in the following manner: (1) Equipment must be reassembled so that food-contact surfaces are not contaminated; (2) Lubricants meeting the requirements specified in 21 C.F.R. 178.3570, April 1, 1996, must be applied to food-contact surfaces or on equipment bearings or gears that require lubrication in a manner that minimizes incidental food contact; (3) Cleaned and sanitized utensils must be handled, displayed, and dispensed so that contamination of food- and lip-contact surfaces is prevented; (4) Knives, forks, and spoons that are not prewrapped must be presented so that only the handles are touched by employees or by consumers if consumer self-service is provided; (5) Soiled tableware must be removed from consumer eating and drinking areas and handled so that clean tableware is not contaminated; and (6) Tableware may be preset under the following conditions: (a) It is protected from contamination by being wrapped, covered, or inverted; (b) Unused settings are removed when a consumer is seated; or (c) It is exposed, unused settings are not removed when a consumer is seated, and it is cleaned and sanitized before further use.

Source: 23 SDR 195, effective May 26, 1997.