Standard Hygiene Areas
are those areas in a product factory in which environmental
control is necessary to prevent contamination of milk and milk
products prior to a microbiocidal critical control point such as
pasteurization. Processing equipment should be placed in a Standard
Hygiene Area only where any of the following are routinely exposed
to the environment: milk and milk products prior to a microbiocidal
critical control point such as
pasteurization, product ingredients which are incorporated into
the process stream before the pasteurizing heat treatment step,
product contact surfaces of equipment before the pasteurizing
heat treatment step of the process.