Inspection

(1)     The regulatory authority may inspect at any time and whenever the regulatory authority has reason to believe the cottage food operation is in violation of these requirements or is operating in an unsanitary manner.

(2)     The regulatory authority may also inspect the permitted area of a cottage food operation in response to a foodborne illness outbreak, consumer complaint, or other public health emergency.

(3)     When conducting an inspection, the regulatory authority shall, at a minimum, inspect for the following:

          a.        That the permitted cottage food operation understands that only those specific foods identified on the permit for the cottage food operation may be produced;

          b.       That the permitted cottage food operation understands that no person other than the permittee, or a person under the direct supervision of the permittee, may be engaged in the processing, preparing, packaging, or handling of any cottage food products or be in the home kitchen during the preparation, packaging, or handling of any cottage food products;

          c.        That no preparation, packaging, or handling of cottage food products is occurring in the home kitchen concurrent with any other domestic activities such as family meal preparation, dishwashing, clothes washing or ironing, kitchen cleaning, or guest entertainment;

          d.       That no infants or small children are in the home kitchen during the preparation, packaging, or handling of any cottage food products; pets shall be excluded from the home;

          e.       That only normal, non-commercial types of kitchen equipment and utensils are used to produce cottage food products;

          f.         That all food contact surfaces, equipment, and utensils used for the preparation, packaging, or handling of any cottage food products are washed, rinsed, and sanitized before each use;

          g.        That all food preparation and food and equipment storage areas are maintained free of rodents and insects; and

          h.       That all persons involved in the preparation and packaging of cottage food products:

                    (i)       Are not going to work in the home kitchen when ill;

                    (ii)     Wash their hands before any food preparation and food packaging activities; and

                    (iii)     Avoid bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods through the use of single-service gloves, bakery papers, tongs, or other utensils.