Food facilities: sanitization.

Existing law, the California Retail Food Code, requires all food facilities in which food is prepared, or in which multiservice utensils and equipment are used, to provide manual methods to effectively clean and sanitize utensils, as specified. Existing law requires manual sanitization to be accomplished in a number of prescribed ways, including the application of sanitizing chemicals by immersion, manual swabbing, or brushing, using specified solutions. The law requires the State Department of Public Health to implement and administer those provisions, and delegates primary enforcement duties to local health agencies. A violation of these provisions is a misdemeanor. This bill would authorize manual sanitization to be accomplished by immersion, manual swabbing, or brushing, using a solution of ozone that meets specified requirements, including compliance with specified federal laws and regulations. By adding a new, permissible method of manual sanitization, and thereby increasing the enforcement duties of local officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. By expanding the definition of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.