Food processing
Food processing means manufacturing a food or changing the physical characteristics of a food.
Food processing includes:
- Cooking
- Baking
- Heating
- Drying
- Mixing
- Grinding
- Churning
- Separating
- Extracting
- Cutting
- Freezing
- Packaging
- Canning
Food processing does not include:
- Sorting
- Cleaning
- Water rinsing food
Special requirements for processing
- Low acid canned foods (LACF): Thermally processed low acid foods packaged in hermetically sealed containers (like canned green beans or canned corn). There are additional requirements for low acid canned foods that are processed and packaged aseptically.
- Acidified foods: Low acid foods to which an acid or acid food is added.
- Seafood HACCP: The US Food and Drug Administration requires a HACCP plan for all wholesale seafood processors and importers.
- Juice HACCP: Wholesale juice processors
- Shellfish: All species of oysters, clams, mussels; either shucked or in the shell, raw and including post harvest processed, frozen or unfrozen, whole or in part; and scallops in any form are included, except if the final product is the shucked adductor muscle only. Shellfish that has been cooked or has other ingredients added is covered under Seafood HACCP (above).
Food storage warehouse
Food storage warehouse means any place where food is stored as, in connection with, or part of a commercial venture or business.
Food storage warehouse does not include places where food is stored to be used by the owner or served to employees, customers or guests such as:
- A home
- Restaurant
- Rooming house
- Hotel
A food processor that warehouses finished product at the same location where the food is processed does not require a warehouse license.
Preventive controls for human food
Food processors, food warehouses and wholesale bakeries are regulated under 21 CFR Part 117, Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Baked Preventive Controls for Human Food which is part of the Food Safety Modernization Act.
Combination facilities
Combination facilities are food establishments that conduct activities subject to both Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) and Oregon Healthy Authority (OHA) County Health Department licensing. Examples of combination facilities include:
- Markets with food service or onsite dining
- Bakeries with food service or onsite dining
- Wineries that offer restaurant service in addition to brewing alcoholic beverages
- Restaurants that sell packaged foods for later consumption
To make the most efficient use of our customers’ and the agencies’ resources, ODA and OHA have maintained a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) about combination facilities since 1986. The MOU states that in nearly all cases, only one agency will license and inspect a food establishment. To determine which agency licenses and inspects an establishment, ODA and the local County Health Department will determine whether the predominant activity is food preparation for immediate consumption or food preparation and sale for later consumption. Depending on the determination, the county and ODA will refer the business to the appropriate regulatory agency.
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