(1) For the purpose of preventing the entry into or movement in intrastate commerce of any egg product which is capable of use as human food and is misbranded or adulterated, the director shall, whenever processing operations are being conducted, unless under inspection by the United States department of agriculture, cause continuous inspection to be made, in accordance with the regulations promulgated under this chapter, of the processing of egg products, in each plant processing egg products for commerce, unless exempted under RCW 69.25.170. Without restricting the application of the preceding sentence to other kinds of establishments within its provisions, any food manufacturing establishment, institution, or restaurant which uses any eggs that do not meet the requirements of RCW 69.25.170(1)(a) in the preparation of any articles for human food, shall be deemed to be a plant processing egg products, with respect to such operations.
(2) The director, at any time, shall cause such retention, segregation, and reinspection as he or she deems necessary of eggs and egg products capable of use as human food in each official plant.
(3) Eggs and egg products found to be adulterated at official plants shall be condemned, and if no appeal be taken from such determination or condemnation, such articles shall be destroyed for human food purposes under the supervision of an inspector: PROVIDED, That articles which may by reprocessing be made not adulterated need not be condemned and destroyed if so reprocessed under the supervision of an inspector and thereafter found to be not adulterated. If an appeal be taken from such determination, the eggs or egg products shall be appropriately marked and segregated pending completion of an appeal inspection, which appeal shall be at the cost of the appellant if the director determines that the appeal is frivolous. If the determination of condemnation is sustained, the eggs or egg products shall be destroyed for human food purposes under the supervision of an inspector.
(4) The director shall cause such other inspections to be made of the business premises, facilities, inventory, operations, and records of egg handlers, and the records and inventory of other persons required to keep records under RCW 69.25.140, as he or she deems appropriate (and in the case of shell egg packers, packing eggs for the ultimate consumer, at least once each calendar quarter) to assure that only eggs fit for human food are used for such purpose, and otherwise to assure compliance by egg handlers and other persons with the requirements of RCW 69.25.140, except that the director shall cause such inspections to be made as he or she deems appropriate to assure compliance with such requirements at food manufacturing establishments, institutions, and restaurants, other than plants processing egg products. Representatives of the director shall be afforded access to all such places of business for purposes of making the inspections provided for in this chapter.
[ 2012 c 117 § 346; 1975 1st ex.s. c 201 § 9.]