§ 59a.109. Bacterial estimate classification.
(a) General testing requirement. A laboratory examination to determine the bacterial estimate shall be made on each producer’s milk at least once each month at irregular intervals. Samples shall be analyzed at a Pennsylvania-approved dairy laboratory. The laboratory must report the results to the permitholder.
(b) Testing methods. Milk shall be tested for bacterial estimate by using one of the following methods or by any other method approved by the Standard Methods for the Examination of Dairy Products, and include the following:
(1) Direct microscopic clump count.
(2) Standard plate count.
(3) Plate loop count.
(4) BactoscanTM count.
(5) Pectin gel plate count.
(6) PetrifilmTM aerobic count.
(7) Spiral plate count.
(8) Hydrophobic grid membrane filter count.
(9) Impedance/conductance count.
(10) Other tests that have been approved by the Department through publication of notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
(c) Excessive bacteria. Whenever the bacterial estimate indicates the presence of more than 500,000 bacteria per milliliter, the result shall be noted as a violation in the permitholder’s records. When two of the last four consecutive bacterial estimates exceed 500,000 per milliliter, the permitholder shall send a written warning notice to the producer in violation. This notice shall be in effect as long as two of the last four consecutive samples exceed the limit of the standard.
(d) Excluding milk with excessive bacteria from the market. If a producer receives the written notice described in subsection (c), the producer shall have an additional sample taken between 3 and 21 days after receiving the notice. If this sample also exceeds 500,000 per milliliter, subsequent milkings shall be excluded from the market until satisfactory compliance is obtained. Shipment may be resumed and a temporary status assigned to the producer by the Department when an additional sample of herd milk is tested and found satisfactory. The producer shall be assigned a full reinstatement status when three out of four consecutive bacterial estimates do not exceed 500,000 per milliliter. The samples shall be taken at a rate of not more than two per week on separate days within a 3-week period.
Cross References This section cited in 7 Pa. Code § 59a.105 (relating to approved milk graders); 7 Pa. Code § 59a.111 (relating to drug residue level); 7 Pa. Code § 59a.113 (relating to suspended milk for manufacturing); and 7 Pa. Code § 59a.114 (relating to inspection and quality testing of milk from producers).
No part of the information on this site may be reproduced for profit or sold for profit.
This material has been drawn directly from the official Pennsylvania Code full text database. Due to the limitations of HTML or differences in display capabilities of different browsers, this version may differ slightly from the official printed version.
