21 CFR 117.35 - Sanitary Operations

What it says

Buildings, fixtures and other physical facilities of the plant must be kept clean and in good repair. Utensils and equipment must be cleaned and sanitized as needed to protect against contamination, cleaning compounds and sanitizing agents must be safe and adequate and stored properly, and pests must not be allowed in any area of a food plant, with pesticides used only under precautions that protect against contamination.

Paraphrased for plain-language clarity. Always verify against the current published regulation text.

What it means in practice

• Cleaning should be done on a schedule, and where the plan calls for it, verified, for example by visual inspection or testing.
• Chemicals used for cleaning and pest control need to be stored away from food and food-contact materials.
• Pest control is about prevention, so exclusion, sanitation and monitoring matter as much as treatment.

What FDA inspectors look for

• Whether cleaning and sanitizing is performed as written and effective.
• Whether toxic materials are identified and stored safely.
• Whether there is evidence of pests or a pest control program.

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