3701-21-01(V)(1) Definitions

TCS food includes:

(a)

An animal food that is raw or heat-treated; a plant food that is heat-treated or consists of raw seed sprouts, cut melons, cut leafy greens, cut tomatoes or mixtures of cut tomatoes that are not modified in a way so that they are unable to support pathogenic microorganism growth or toxin formation, or garlic-in-oil mixtures that are not modified in a way so that they are unable to support pathogenic microorganism growth or toxin formation; and

(b)

Except as specified in paragraph (V)(2)(d) of this rule, a food that because of the interaction of its aw and pH values is designated as product assessment (PA) needed in table A or B of this rule. Table A. Interaction of pH and aw for control of spores in food heat-treated to destroy vegetative cells and subsequently packaged pH of 4.6 or less · pH greater than 4.6 to 5.6 · pH greater than 5.6 aw less than or equal to 0.92 · non-TCS food · non-TCS food · non-TCS food aw greater than 0.92 to 0.95 · non-TCS food · non-TCS food · PA aw greater than 0.95 · non-TCS food · PA · PA Table B. Interaction of pH and aw for control of vegetative cells and spores in food not heat-treated or heat-treated but not packaged pH less than 4.2 · pH 4.2 to 4.6 · pH greater than 4.6 to 5.0 · pH greater than 5.0 aw less than 0.88 · non-TCS food · non-TCS food · non-TCS food · non-TCS food aw 0.88 to 0.90 · non-TCS food · non-TCS food · non-TCS food · PA aw greater than 0.90 to 0.92 · non-TCS food · non-TCS food · PA · PA aw greater than 0.92 · non-TCS food · PA · PA · PA