Delaware § 4311 - Regulations governing licensed establishments.

§ 4311. Regulations governing licensed establishments.

Persons granted a license to manufacture soft drinks or other nonalcoholic beverages must comply with the following requirements:

(1) Every building, room, basement or cellar occupied or used for the preparation for sale, manufacture, packing, storage, sale or distribution of any drink products shall be properly lighted, drained, plumbed and ventilated and conducted with due regard for the purity and wholesomeness of the products therein produced, and with strict regard to the influence of such conditions upon the health of the operatives, employees, clerks or other persons therein employed. The term “drink products” as used in this section includes all waters, beverages, soft drinks and like products, whether simple, mixed or compound, and all substances or ingredients used in the preparation thereof.

(2) The floors, side walls, ceilings, furniture, receptacles, implements and machinery of every establishment where drink products are manufactured, packed, stored, sold or distributed shall at all times be kept in a clean, healthful and sanitary condition.

(3) Drink products in the process of manufacture, preparation, packing, storing, sale or distribution must be securely protected from flies, dust, dirt, and, as far as may be necessary, from all other foreign or injurious contamination.

(4) All refuse, dirt and waste products subject to decomposition and fermentation incident to the manufacture, preparation, packing, storing, selling and distribution of drink products must be removed from the premises daily.

(5) All bottling establishments shall be equipped with adequate and sufficient machinery for the automatic soaking, cleaning and rinsing of bottles. All bottles prior to refilling shall be cleansed and sterilized by soaking in a solution of not less than 31/2 percent caustic alkali for a period of not less than 3 minutes and at a temperature not lower than 120° Fahrenheit, to be followed by spraying and rinsing with water from the same source as used in filling, where practicable, or in any case by water of an accepted degree of purity and safety. Bottles too large for the machine shall be washed in the hot alkali solution and rinsed until free from any trace of alkali before refilling. All capping machines shall be provided with automatic crown feed. The reuse of caps, crowns or corks is prohibited. Such caps, crowns and corks shall be at all times so kept or stored as to be shielded from infection and contamination. All containers for the preparation or storage of syrups, fruit juices, extracts and flavors used in the manufacture of beverages shall be of glass, glazed-lined metal or stoneware. This shall not apply to those preparations not removed from the manufacturer’s shipping package. In no case shall receptacles of galvanized iron be used for liquids to be bottled. Containers shall be covered at all times. The construction of pumps and piping used for conveying syrups, fruit juices and similar liquids shall be such as to permit of ready disconnection and cleaning. Linings of lead or zinc are prohibited. Proper receptacles shall be provided for solid wastes. Floors, walls, ceilings, doors, windows, window ledges, etc., shall be kept clean and free from dust. All fixtures, machinery, utensils and piping shall be maintained in clean condition, using for this purpose hot water, live steam and such chemical agents as may be approved by the Department of Health and Social Services.

(6) The clothing of operatives, employees, clerks or other persons must be clean.

(7) The side walls and ceilings in that part of bottling establishments in which the beverages or syrups are manufactured shall be kept oil painted or well limewashed, and all interior woodwork in every bottling establishment shall be kept washed and cleansed with soap and water, and every building, room, basement or cellar occupied for use in the preparation, manufacture, packing, storage, sale or distribution of drink products shall have an impermeable floor made of cement or tile, laid in cement, brick or other suitable nonabsorbent material which can be flushed and washed clean with water.

(8) The floors, windows and other openings of syrup rooms or any part of a bottling establishment used in the manufacture or mixing of syrups and extracts, etc., shall be fitted with self-closing screen doors and wire window screens made with wire not less than 14 meshes to the inch.

(9) No employer shall knowingly permit, require or suffer any person to work in a bottling establishment who is afflicted with any contagious or infectious disease, or with any skin disease.

(10) Every bottling establishment shall be provided with or have available for use a convenient washroom and toilet of sanitary construction, but such toilet shall be entirely separate and apart from any room used for the manufacture or storage of drink products.

Code 1915, §  780C;  33 Del. Laws, c. 55, §  1;  33 Del. Laws, c. 57, §  4;  34 Del. Laws, c. 69, §  1;  35 Del. Laws, c. 52, §§  2, 3;  Code 1935, §  843;  16 Del. C. 1953, §  4311;  70 Del. Laws, c. 149, §  187;