Hong Kong Regulations

DAIRIES REGULATIONS - REGULATION 19

Provisions as to prevention of infection or contamination of milk

(1) All reasonable and proper precautions shall be taken in and in connection
with the milking of animals, and the cooling, processing, handling, storage
and distribution of milk, to prevent milk becoming infected or contaminated.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of paragraph (1),
the following provisions shall apply in connection with the milking of animals
and the cooling, processing, handling, storage and distribution of milk-

   (a)  the milking of animals shall be carried out in a good and proper light
        whether in the day time or during the hours of darkness;

   (b)  immediately before any animal is milked, all dirt on or around the
        flanks, tail, udder and teats of the animal shall be removed, and the
        udder and teats shall be kept thoroughly clean during milking;

   (c)  the hands of any person who milks any animal shall be thoroughly
        washed before he commences the milking and shall, at all times when he
        is engaged in the milking of any animal, be kept clean, free from
        contamination and, as far as practicable, dry;

   (d)  as soon as possible after any animal has been milked, the milk shall
        be removed to a milk room and, pending its removal, shall be kept in a
        covered receptacle;

   (e)  when any milk has been so removed to a milk room, it shall be placed
        in a receptacle approved by the Director under regulation 18 and shall
        thereafter be kept in such receptacle until it is inserted into a
        pasteurization plant or, where the milk is conveyed from the dairy to
        a pasteurization plant in a milk tanker, until it is inserted into the
        milk tanker;

   (f)  no room shall be used as a milk room unless its use for that purpose
        has been approved by the Director;

   (g)  a milk room shall not be used for any purpose other than the cooling,
        processing, handling and storage of milk and the cleansing and storing
        of any appliances, receptacles and other utensils used in the milking
        of animals or in the cooling, processing, handling, storage or
        distribution of milk;

   (h)  no article, other than appliances, receptacles and other utensils used
        in the milking of animals or in the cooling, processing, handling,
        storage or distribution of milk, shall be deposited in a milk  room;

   (i)  every appliance, receptacle and other utensil used in the milking of
        animals or in the cooling, processing, handling, storage or
        distribution of milk shall, after each occasion on which it has been
        used and before it is used again, be thoroughly rinsed and washed and
        thereafter sterilized by steam or immersion in boiling water for a
        period of not less than five minutes or in such other manner as the
        Director may approve; and (L.N. 241 of 1972)

   (j)  the interior of every cart, lorry or other vehicle shall, when the
        same is being used for the conveyance of milk, be kept in a clean
        condition.