§ 37.112. Design and construction in the food product zone.
(a) All parts of the product zone shall be readily accessible or shall be readily removable for cleaning and inspection.
(b) All parts of the food product zone shall be free of recesses, dead ends, open seams and gaps, crevices, protruding ledges, inside threads, inside shoulders and bolts or rivets which form pockets and patterns.
(c) Permanent joints of metal parts shall be butt welded. Dissimilar metals shall not be used in equipment construction if their contact with liquid products might create deleterious chemical or electrolytic action.
(d) Welding within the food product zone shall be continuous, smooth, even and flush with the adjacent surfaces.
(e) Interior corners shall be provided with a minimum radius of one quarter inch except where a greater radius is required to facilitate drainage or cleaning.
(f) Equipment shall be constructed and installed to provide sufficient pitch so as to be completely self-draining.
(g) Equipment which introduces air into the food product or uses air to convey the food product shall be fitted with filters capable of withholding particles 50 microns or larger in size. Such filters shall be readily removable for cartridge replacement or cleaning.
(h) Bearings shall be located outside the food product zone or outboard, and shall be of the sealed or self-lubricated type. Those intended for use with a dry granular or a dry pulverized product directly adjacent to the food product zone shall be of the sealed type without grease fittings. The bearings shall be installed flush to eliminate any recessed areas around the shaft within the food product zone.
(i) Shaft seal assemblies and packing glands shall be outboard and shall be readily removable. The shaft seal or packing shall be retractable within a space between the assembly and bearing to facilitate easy removal of the sealing assembly and materials for cleaning and inspection.
(j) —
(1) All permanent screening and straining devices shall be readily removable for cleaning and inspection. They shall be designed to prevent replacement in an improper position.
(2) Permanent screening and straining surfaces intended for use with a liquid or a semi-liquid product shall be fabricated from perforated metal.
(3) Permanent screening and straining surfaces for use with a dry granular or a dry pulverized product shall be designed with sufficient strength for its intended use, and be sized to efficiently remove foreign material.
(k) —
(1) Filtering surfaces shall be readily removable for cleaning and inspection.
(2) Filter papers shall be of the single-service type.
(3) Filter cloths and spun glass filters shall be launderable.
(l) Hinges and latches shall be of the simple take-apart type.
(m) Motors shall be of the totally enclosed finless type and shall be mounted on the equipment whenever possible.
(n) Covers shall be provided on reservoirs, hoppers or other vessels and shall be readily removable and fitted with drip protective devices or facilities to prevent foreign substances from falling into the product.
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