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HomeFood and Agricultural CodeDiv. 15Pt. 3Ch. 1Art. 1§ 36606 Dairy Bacteria Safety Standards

§ 36606 Dairy Bacteria Safety Standards

Food and Agricultural Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 36606 Dairy Bacteria Safety Standards

Key Takeaways

  • •The law lets the director set safety rules for bacteria in dairy products, except for hard and soft cheeses.
  • •If a special bacteria is approved for a dairy product, it must be listed in the ingredients.
  • •If the product doesn’t normally need bacteria, the approved bacteria’s name must be on the front of the package in big letters (at least half the size of the product name).
  • •The director decides the minimum amount of live bacteria needed in these products and how to test for it.

Example

A company makes a new type of yogurt with a special bacteria that helps digestion.

The company must list the bacteria in the ingredients. Since yogurt doesn’t always need extra bacteria, the bacteria’s name must also be on the front of the package in big letters. The yogurt must have at least the minimum amount of live bacteria set by the director, and they’ll test it to make sure.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 36606 Dairy Bacteria Safety Standards

(a) Safe and suitable bacteria standards may be adopted by the director for use in specific dairy products except for varieties of hard and soft cheese. Any bacteria strain approved by the director under this section shall appear in the ingredient list of the product. The name of any bacteria strain approved by the director for use in a dairy product for which the standard does not otherwise require use of one or more bacteria strains shall appear with the product name on the principal display panel or panels of the package in letters not less than one-half the height of the letters used in the product name. (b) The director shall establish a minimum viable organism count for any bacteria strain approved pursuant to this section in any dairy product for which the standard does not otherwise require use of one or more bacteria strains. The director shall also establish an official test procedure for the purpose of enforcing the minimum bacteria count level in any dairy products for which such a minimum has been established. (Added by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1169, Sec. 1. Effective September 22, 1988.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

safe and suitable bacteria standardsdairy productshard and soft cheeseingredient listprincipal display panelminimum viable organism countofficial test procedure

Related Statutes

  • § 36601 Dairy Product Quality Standards
  • § 36605 Dairy Product Quality Standards
  • § 64005 Dairy Product Definitions
  • § 10701 Definitions Govern Construction
  • § 10702 Health Certificate Definition

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Food and Agricultural Code. Section 36606.
View Official Source