Sec.21a-61-8. Retail

(a) Equipment. (1) Each storage facility shall be equipped with suitable mechanical refrigeration capacity to maintain, under extreme outside temperature and peak load conditions, an air temperature of 0°F., or lower. (2) When storage facilities of the cabinet type are used: (A) They shall be defrosted as frequently as necessary to maintain refrigeration efficiency specified; and (B) they shall be equipped with a thermometer indicating a representative air temperature. (3) When storage facilities of the walk-in freezer type are used: (A) Frozen food in storage shall be on pallets, racks or skids and shall be stored no closer than eighteen inches to the ceiling and otherwise stored so as to permit free circulation of refrigerated air. (B) They shall be equipped with a thermometer, the sensing element of which shall be located within the upper third of the distance between the floor and ceiling. Such sensing elements shall not be placed in a direct blast of air from cooling units, cooling coils and heat exchange devices, or near the entrance door; and (C) they shall be equipped with an automatic mechanism for defrosting refrigerated coils when forced air blower type of refrigeration is used. (D) All frozen food display cases shall be designed, constructed and equipped with mechanical refrigeration facilities capable of maintaining an air temperature of 0°F. or lower. (E) Frost on refrigerator coils and in air passages of display cases shall be removed as frequently as necessary to maintain refrigeration efficiency. (F) Each display case shall be equipped with a thermometer, the sensing element of which shall be located in an appropriate place within the path of refrigerated air being returned to the coils. (G) The product load line shall be designated by a distinctive line at the inside terminal ends of each display case, and such lines shall be at the highest point of discharge and return of refrigerated air. (H) Each display case shall be equipped with separators to provide false walls located a minimum of one-half inch from terminal ends to provide for free circulation of refrigerated air between such terminal ends and the displayed product. (I) All display cases in a retail outlet shall be so placed as to be relatively free of air currents resulting from door drafts, electric fans and other factors that adversely deflect the current of refrigerated air within the display case, and of heat elements, such as lights, heating units and related devices that tend to raise the temperature of refrigerated air within the display case.

(b) Handling practices. (1) Frozen food shall not be accepted for delivery by a retail outlet when the internal product temperature exceeds 0°F., except as provided in section 21a-61-2 and except where such exception is duly recorded. (2) All frozen food received at a retail outlet shall be immediately placed in storage facilities. (3) Each retail outlet shall be equipped with storage facilities of sufficient cubic displacement to accommodate the storage of frozen food. (4) Frozen food shall not be placed above the product food lines within any display case. (5) All frozen food in a retail outlet shall be stored and displayed under good sanitary conditions. (6) Retail outlets shall employ the first-in first-out basis of inventory control.

(Effective July 27, 1984)