Section 35781.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this article, market milk shall not contain any of the following:

(1) More than 15,000 bacteria per milliliter or more than 10 coliform bacteria per milliliter if to be sold as raw milk to the consumer.

(2) More than 50,000 bacteria per milliliter if to be sold as raw milk for pasteurization or more than 750 bacteria per milliliter after having been subjected to laboratory pasteurization which has a time-temperature equivalent to that required in Section 34001 before pasteurization.

(3) More than 15,000 bacteria per milliliter or more than 10 coliform bacteria per milliliter at time of delivery to the consumer, if pasteurized.

(4) More than 750 coliform bacteria per milliliter in raw milk for pasteurization. Samples shall be taken while the milk is on the premises of the producer.

(5) More than 800,000 somatic cells per milliliter, as determined by direct microscopic somatic cell count, electronic somatic cell count, or optical somatic cell count. After January 1, 1990, the maximum somatic cell count shall be 600,000 somatic cells per milliliter, as determined by the methods specified in this paragraph. This paragraph does not apply to market goat milk.

(b) The director may, by regulation, require different standards for raw market milk for pasteurization from the standards in this section if he or she determines, after an administrative hearing, that the standards are necessary to protect or improve milk quality.

(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 339, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2008.)