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HomeFood and Agricultural CodeDiv. 15Pt. 1Ch. 8Art. 1§ 34008 Milk Pasteurization Requirements

§ 34008 Milk Pasteurization Requirements

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

§ 34008 Milk Pasteurization Requirements

Key Takeaways

  • •All milk and milk products sold in stores must be pasteurized (heated to kill germs) unless there's a special rule.
  • •Some places don't have to follow this rule, like ice cream shops or places that make frozen yogurt on site.
  • •Goat milk cheese can be made without pasteurizing the milk if the curds (the thick part used to make cheese) are made from pasteurized goat milk.
  • •The government can add more exceptions to this rule if needed.

Example

A small farm makes goat cheese to sell at the local market.

The farm must use pasteurized goat milk to make the curds for the cheese. If they do this, they don’t have to pasteurize the milk again when making the cheese.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 34008 Milk Pasteurization Requirements

(a) All market milk and market milk products, and all milk for manufacturing purposes and manufactured milk products, shall be pasteurized at the plant where processed and packaged unless otherwise provided in this division. (b) This section does not apply to any of the following: (1) Licensed milk products plants that are used exclusively for the preparation of ice cream, frozen yogurt, frozen dairy dessert, or frozen dessert that is manufactured on the premises from ice cream mix, frozen yogurt mix, frozen dairy dessert mix, or frozen dessert mix that is supplied by a licensed milk products plant. (2) Products sold through soft-serve establishments pursuant to Section 33704, including frozen yogurts and frozen dairy desserts. (3) Frozen and semifrozen products sold through establishments issued a limited frozen manufacturing permit pursuant to Section 35016. (4) Goat milk cheese produced at a licensed milk products plant, excluding cottage cheese, manufactured from curds, provided the curds were made only from goat milk that has been pasteurized, ultrapasteurized, or aseptically processed, as defined in Sections 34001, 34001.5, and 39701, respectively, at either of the following: (A) A licensed milk products plant. (B) A milk products plant that meets sanitation requirements substantially similar to those established by Article 3 (commencing with Section 33761) of Chapter 6, and that is registered as a food facility with the United States Food and Drug Administration in accordance with the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act (21 U.S.C. Sec. 350d). (c) The secretary may, by regulation, provide for additional exemptions from this section. (Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 153, Sec. 2. (AB 1486) Effective January 1, 2018.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

pasteurizedmarket milkexemptionsgoat milk cheeselicensed milk products plant

Related Statutes

  • § 34002 Dairy Product Cooling Requirements
  • § 34003 Cream Heating And Cooling
  • § 34004 Repasteurizing Skim Milk
  • § 21701 Bovine Animal Definition
  • § 21702 Animal Sale Documentation Requirements

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Food and Agricultural Code. Section 34008.
View Official Source