§ 59a.110. Somatic cell count.
(a) General testing requirement. A laboratory examination to determine the level of somatic cells shall be made on each producer’s milk at least once each month. Samples shall be analyzed at a Pennsylvania-approved dairy laboratory. The laboratory must report the results to the permitholder.
(b) Testing methods. Milk shall be tested for somatic cell content by using one of the following procedures:
(1) Direct Microscopic Somatic Cell Count (Single Strip Procedure).
(2) Electronic Somatic Cell Count.
(3) Flow Cytometry/Opto-Electronic Somatic Cell Count.
(4) Membrane Filter DNA Somatic Cell Count.
(c) Excessive somatic cell count. Whenever the official test indicates the presence of more than 750,000 somatic cells per milliliter (1,500,000/ml for goat milk), the result shall be noted as a violation in the permitholder’s records. When two of the last four consecutive bacterial estimates exceed 750,000/ml (1,500,000/ml for goat milk), the permitholder shall send a written warning notice to the producer in violation. This notice shall be in effect as long as two of the last four consecutive samples exceed the limit of the standard.
(d) Excluding milk with an excessive somatic cell count from the market. If a producer receives the written notice described in subsection (c)(2), the producer shall have an additional sample taken between 3 and 21 days after receiving the notice. If this sample also exceeds 750,000 per milliliter, subsequent milkings shall be excluded from the market until satisfactory compliance is obtained. Shipment may be resumed and a temporary status assigned to the producer by the Department when an additional sample of herd milk is tested and found satisfactory. The producer shall be assigned a full reinstatement status when three out of four consecutive somatic cell count tests do not exceed 750,000 per milliliter. The samples shall be taken at a rate of not more than two per week on separate days within a 3-week period.
Cross References This section cited in 7 Pa. Code § 59a.105 (relating to approved milk graders); 7 Pa. Code § 59a.113 (relating to suspended milk for manufacturing); and 7 Pa. Code § 59a.114 (relating to inspection and quality testing of milk from producers).
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