(1) Equipment and utensils must be designed and constructed to be durable and to retain their characteristic qualities under normal use conditions.

(2) Cast iron may not be used for utensils or food contact surfaces of equipment except as a surface for cooking. However, cast iron may be used in utensils for serving food if the utensils are used only as part of an uninterrupted process from cooking through service.

(3) If solder is used, it must be composed of safe materials and be corrosion resistant. Solder and flux containing lead in excess of 0.2% may not be used on surfaces that contact food.

(4) Use of wood is limited as follows:

(a) Except as specified in (4) (b) through (e) of this rule, wood and wood wicker may not be used as a food contact surface.

(b) Hard maple or an equivalently hard, close-grained wood may be used for:

(i) cutting boards; cutting blocks; bakers' tables; and utensils such as rolling pins, doughnut dowels, salad bowls, and non-single-service chopsticks; and

(ii) wooden paddles used in confectionery operations for pressure scraping kettles when manually preparing confections at a temperature of 230 º F (110 º C) or above.

(c) Whole uncut, raw fruits and vegetables, and nuts in the shell may be kept in the wood shipping containers in which they were received, until the fruits, vegetables, or nuts are used.

(d) If the nature of the food requires removal of rinds, peels, husks, or shells before consumption, the whole, uncut, raw food may be kept in:

(i) untreated wood containers; or

(ii) treated wood containers if the containers are treated with a preservative that meets the requirements specified in 21 CFR 178.3800.

(e) Wood may be used for single-service articles, such as chopsticks, stirrers and ice cream spoons.

(5) Cutting surfaces such as cutting blocks and boards that are subject to scratching and scoring must be resurfaced if they can no longer be effectively cleaned and sanitized, or be discarded if they are not capable of being sanitized.

(6) Safe plastic or safe rubber or safe rubber-like materials that are resistant under normal conditions of use to scratching, scoring, decomposition, crazing, chipping and distortion, and that are of sufficient weight and thickness to permit cleaning and sanitizing by normal dishwashing methods are permitted for repeated use.

(7) Mollusk and crustacea shells may be used only once as a serving container. Further re-use of such shells for food service is prohibited.

(8) Re-use of single-service articles is prohibited.

(9) Ceramic, china, crystal utensils, and decorative utensils, such as hand painted ceramic or china, that are used in contact with food must be lead-free or contain levels of lead not exceeding the following limits:

 

Lead Content in Utensils

 

Utensil Category	Description	Maximum Lead
hot beverage mugs	coffee mugs	0.5 mg/L
large hollowware	bowls > 1.16 Qt/[1.1L]	1 mg/L
small hollowware	bowls < 1/16 Qt/[1.1L]	2.0 mg/L
flat utensils	plates, saucers	3.0 mg/L

 

(10) Copper and copper alloys such as brass may not be used in contact with a food that has a pH below 6 such as vinegar, fruit juice, or wine; and may not be used for a fitting or tubing installed between a backflow prevention device and a carbonator.

(11) Galvanized metal may not be used for utensils or food contact surfaces of equipment that are used for beverages, acidic food, and moist food.