81-2,272.24 Potentially hazardous food; date marking; sale, consumption, or discard requirements. - Nebraska Statutes

81-2,272.24. Potentially hazardous food; date marking; sale, consumption, or discard requirements.(1) Except when packaging food using a reduced oxygen packaging method as specified in section 81-2,272.27 and except as specified in this section, refrigerated, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food (time and temperature control for safety food) prepared and held in a food establishment for more than twenty-four hours shall be clearly marked to indicate the date of preparation. The food shall be sold, consumed on the premises, or discarded within:(a) Seven calendar days or less if the food is held refrigerated at forty-one degrees Fahrenheit (five degrees Celsius) or below; or(b) Four calendar days or less if the food is held refrigerated between forty-five degrees Fahrenheit (seven degrees Celsius) and forty-one degrees Fahrenheit (five degrees Celsius).(2) Except as specified in this section, refrigerated, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food (time and temperature control for safety food) prepared and packaged by a food processing plant and held refrigerated at such food establishment, shall be clearly marked, at the time the original container is opened in a food establishment, to indicate the date the food container was opened. The food shall be sold, consumed on the premises, or discarded within:(a) Seven calendar days or less if the food is held refrigerated at forty-one degrees Fahrenheit (five degrees Celsius) or below; or(b) Four calendar days or less if the food is held refrigerated between forty-five degrees Fahrenheit (seven degrees Celsius) and forty-one degrees Fahrenheit (five degrees Celsius).This subsection does not apply to fermented sausages which retain an original casing or shelf stable salt-cured products produced in a federally inspected food processing plant that are not labeled "Keep Refrigerated" or to shelf stable, dry, fermented sausages when the face has been cut, but the remaining portion is whole and intact.(3) A refrigerated, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food (time and temperature control for safety food) ingredient or a portion of a refrigerated, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food (time and temperature control for safety food) that is subsequently combined with additional ingredients or portions of food shall retain the date marking of the earliest-prepared or first-prepared ingredient.(4) A date marking system that meets the criteria stated in subsections (1) and (2) of this section may include:(a) Using a method approved by the regulatory authority for refrigerated, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food (time and temperature control for safety food) that is frequently rewrapped, such as lunchmeat or a roast, or for which date marking is impractical, such as soft serve mix or milk in a dispensing machine;(b) Marking the date or day of preparation, with a procedure to discard the food on or before the last date or day by which the food must be consumed on the premises, sold, or discarded as specified under subsection (1) of this section;(c) Marking the date or day the original container is opened in a food establishment, with a procedure to discard the food on or before the last date or day by which the food must be consumed on the premises, sold, or discarded as specified under subsection (2) of this section; or(d) Using calendar dates, days of the week, color-coded marks, or other effective marking methods, if the marking system is disclosed to the regulatory authority upon request.(5) Subsections (1) and (2) of this section do not apply to individual meal portions served or repackaged for sale from a bulk container upon a consumer's request.(6) Subsection (2) of this section does not apply to the following foods prepared and packaged by a food processing plant inspected by a regulatory authority:(a) Deli salads, such as ham salad, seafood salad, chicken salad, egg salad, pasta salad, potato salad, and macaroni salad manufactured in accordance with 21 C.F.R. part 110, Current Good Manufacturing Practice In Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food, as such part existed on January 1, 2007;(b) Hard cheeses containing not more than thirty-nine percent moisture as defined in 21 C.F.R. part 133, Cheeses and related cheese products, as such part existed on January 1, 2007, such as cheddar, gruyere, parmesan and reggiano, and romano;(c) Semi-soft cheeses containing more than thirty-nine percent moisture, but not more than fifty percent moisture, as defined in 21 C.F.R. part 133, Cheeses and related cheese products, as such part existed on January 1, 2007, such as blue, edam, gorgonzola, gouda, and monterey jack;(d) Cultured dairy products as defined in 21 C.F.R. part 131, Milk and cream, as such part existed on January 1, 2007, such as yogurt, sour cream, and buttermilk;(e) Preserved fish products, such as pickled herring and dried or salted cod and other acidified fish products, as defined in 21 C.F.R. part 114, Acidified foods, as such part existed on January 1, 2007;(f) Shelf stable, dry fermented sausages, such as pepperoni and Genoa salami that are not labeled "Keep Refrigerated" as specified in 9 C.F.R. part 317, Labeling, marking devices, and containers, as such part existed on January 1, 2007, and which retain the original casing on the product; and(g) Shelf stable salt-cured products such as prosciutto and Parma (ham) that are not labeled "Keep Refrigerated" as specified in 9 C.F.R. part 317, Labeling, marking devices, and containers, as such part existed on January 1, 2007. SourceLaws 1997, LB 199, § 49; Laws 1999, LB 474, § 14; Laws 2003, LB 250, § 15; Laws 2007, LB74, § 8.