Bill > SB1465

This bill amends California's Health and Safety Code to establish specific food safety regulations for Asian rice-based noodles and Korean rice cakes. It defines "Asian rice-based noodle" as a rice-based pasta made with rice powder, water, wheat starch, vegetable oil, and optional pH or water activity modifiers, excluding animal fats, and prepared by steaming at a minimum of 130 degrees Fahrenheit for at least four minutes. Similarly, "Korean rice cake" is defined as a confection with rice powder, salt, sugar, seeds, oil, beans, nuts, and fruits, also excluding animal fats, and prepared by steaming at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for five to fifteen minutes. For Asian rice-based noodles, manufacturers must label packaging with the time the product was first removed from hot holding above 135 degrees Fahrenheit and state that the product is perishable, though this labeling requirement is waived if the noodles have a pH of 4.6 or below, a water activity of 0.85 or below, or are otherwise deemed non-potentially hazardous by the department. For Korean rice cakes, a label from the Korean Rice Cake Association Corporation indicating the manufacture date and a one-day consumption window is required. The bill also permits food facilities to sell Asian rice-based noodles kept at room temperature for up to four hours, after which they must be consumed, cooked, or destroyed, with exceptions for noodles meeting the same pH, water activity, or non-potentially hazardous criteria as mentioned for labeling.