Facility Construction Guidelines for Lower-Potency Hemp or Cannabis Edible Manufacturers
This information was developed in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) to summarize the materials, equipment, and design considerations to help a lower-potency hemp or cannabis edible manufacturer meet state requirements when constructing or maintaining an edible manufacturing facility or equipment. Under Minnesota Statutes, section 342.07, subd. 3(c), edible cannabinoid manufacturers are required to follow MDA food handler regulations in the Minnesota Food Law.
This page is focused on guidance for facilities and equipment to foster the safe and sanitary manufacture of edible products. As part of the licensing process, OCM will assess your business’ specific facilities and plans for compliance. This is not meant to be prescriptive; rather, it is to provide general best practices.
The information on this webpage is not legal advice, and it is the responsibility of each license holder to thoroughly read all applicable laws and rules to maintain compliance.
Production areas
- Lighting: Ensure there is enough lighting in areas where consumables like cannabis or hemp edibles are prepared, stored, or washed, as well as in handwashing and restroom areas. Lights above product areas must be protected (e.g., shatter-resistant or coated).
- Ventilation: Adequate ventilation is needed to control dust, odors and vapors that can contaminate consumables or cause allergens to spread. The amount and type of ventilation that might be needed are process dependent.
- Utility lines: Keep utility lines (electric, air, plumbing, etc.) separated or enclosed in smooth, dust-free coverings. Avoid running them above product-contact surfaces to prevent contamination.
Floors
- Floors must be smooth, durable, nonporous and easy-to-clean, and must be kept clean and in good condition.
- For dry areas, well-sealed hardwood can work if cleaning is done by sweeping or vacuuming.
- Processing areas need floors with covered baseboards, which prevents debris from building up.
- For wet areas, floors must be durable for wet cleaning and equipped with proper drains.
- High-traffic areas or places with heavy equipment require stronger, more durable flooring.
- Grout maintenance: Ensure grout is properly sealed and kept in good condition.
Table 1: Guidance for selecting appropriate flooring and baseboard materials
| Best choice | Acceptable | Unacceptable |
|---|---|---|
|
Floors: Ceramic, quarry tile or poured epoxy |
Floors: Sheet or tile vinyl and linoleum; sealed concrete or sealed hardwood if in good condition |
Floors: Carpet; gravel, dirt, or tar; unsealed wood or concrete; or any other uncleanable surfaces |
|
Baseboards: Ceramic, quarry tile or poured epoxy |
Baseboards: Vinyl; sealed wood if in good condition and adequately adhered to the wall and sealed. |
Baseboards: Loose, not sealed to the wall, or has gaps that could allow for moisture or pest entry |
Walls/ceilings
- Walls and ceilings must be smooth, durable, nonporous and easy-to-clean, and must be kept clean and in good condition.
- Walls and ceilings in areas of heavy use or frequent cleaning may require a more durable surface.
- Walls and ceilings in wet areas, areas subject to splash, or within 3 feet of work areas and equipment must be smooth, non-corrosive, washable and must not deteriorate when wet.
- Walls behind a cooking surface (stove, oven, etc.) must be able to withstand higher temperatures.
- Walls behind a hand sink or warewash sink must be able to withstand wet conditions.
Table 2: Guidance for selecting appropriate materials for walls and ceilings
| Best choice | Acceptable | Unacceptable |
|---|---|---|
|
Walls: Stainless steel, fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) paneling |
Walls: Galvanized aluminum or tin if in good condition with no rust or flaking paint; Formica; vinyl-covered fiberboard panels; ceramic tile; painted or sealed concrete, block, brick, drywall or wood if in good condition with no flaking paint, exposed aggregate, etc. |
Walls: Unsealed concrete, block, brick, or wood; wallpaper; melamine sheets; laminate; carpet; or bare wood |
|
Ceilings: Fiberglass reinforced plastic or smooth, durable acoustic tile |
Ceilings: Painted or sealed concrete, block, brick, drywall, wood, tin, or ceramic tile |
Ceilings: Any unsealed materials or fissured, unscrubbable acoustic tile that is already heavily soiled |
Equipment and utensils
- Product contact surfaces (PCS) are surfaces that come into direct contact with consumables or residue, or where product residue could drip, drain or be drawn into the product.
- Product contact surfaces must be designed to be easy to clean and must be made from materials that are safe for food contact.
- Product contact surfaces must be kept clean and in good condition.
- Non-product contact surfaces (NPCS) are surfaces that do not directly contact consumables, like parts of equipment (legs, framework, supports, housings, etc.).
- Non-product contact surfaces are not required to be commercial grade, such as you’d find in a restaurant, if they are easy-to-clean and kept clean and in good condition.
Note: Equipment used to control food safety hazards must be reliable and accurate. For example, an oven used to bake edibles to a specific temperature for food safety must be able to reach and maintain that temperature consistently.
Equipment and utensils must:
- Provide adequate clearance from the floor to allow for cleaning and inspection.
- Be readily accessible and able to be disassembled for cleaning and inspection; or, if access or disassembly is not possible, the entire unit must be able to be cleaned in place using adequate methods to eliminate product contamination.
- Instruments used for measuring, regulating or recording the control of a food safety hazard must be accurate, precise and maintained.
- Hollow areas in equipment, tables and framework must be hermetically sealed (caps, continuous welds, etc.).
Worktables and counters must have surfaces that are easily cleanable and non-corrosive and must be kept clean and in good condition. They must withstand repeated cleaning over a long timeframe.
Table 3: Guidance for selecting appropriate materials for equipment and utensils
| Best choice | Acceptable | Unacceptable |
|---|---|---|
|
Product contact surfaces:
|
Product contact surfaces: Hi-impact, scratch-resistant plastic (Formica, Teflon, and thermal plastic). Metal or finished hardwood made of food-grade materials designed for food production if in good condition. Aluminum coated with acceptable food-grade materials (PTFE, Teflon, etc.). Laminated tables or countertops in good condition. Food grade plastics, rubber, and rubber-like materials (must remain intact through cleaning and sanitation; should be easily removed and replaced as needed). Wear-resistant ceramics. Durable, break-resistant and heat-resistant glass. Unfinished hardwood tables are only acceptable for bakery make-up tables. |
Product contact surfaces: uncoated aluminum; galvanized iron; unfinished wood. Pitted, corroded, broken, cracked or roughly welded product contact surfaces. Any surfaces with rust. Damaged seals or gaskets. Items with splintered, cracked or damaged product contact surfaces. Non-product contact surfaces: no corroded or rusty framework or legs. No unsealed hollow legs. |
Warewashing areas
- Facilities must have equipment to effectively wash, rinse and sanitize all equipment and utensils used in the production of consumables.
Table 4: Guidance for selecting appropriate warewashing facilities
| Best choice | Acceptable | Unacceptable |
|---|---|---|
|
Three-compartment sink |
Two-compartment sink with additional wash bin. Three wash bins or a dishwasher. |
Size that does not allow for effective washing, rinsing, or sanitizing. In poor condition. |
Handwashing facilities
- Hand-washing facilities must be adequate, convenient and furnish running water at a suitable temperature to ensure an employee's hands are not a source of contamination to edible products, product-contact surfaces or packaging materials.
Table 5: Guidance for selecting appropriate handwashing facilities
| Acceptable | Unacceptable |
|---|---|
|
At least one hand sink, conveniently located to processing area and accessible (no doors between hand sink and processing area). Hard plumbed to hot and cold running water with hard-plumbed drain. Additional hand sinks in the processing areas as needed to maintain employee sanitation. Stainless steel or ceramic. |
No handwash sink or not conveniently located. Not hard-plumbed. Cracked or broken ceramic or other materials in poor condition. |
Non-production areas and dry storage
- Floors, walls and ceilings that are smooth, durable, easily cleanable and in good repair.
- Maintained in a dry and sanitary condition for storage of shelf-stable products, equipment, utensils, packaging materials and any other non-product contact equipment.
Table 6: Guidance for selecting appropriate materials for non-production and dry storage areas
| Acceptable | Unacceptable |
|---|---|
|
Floor: Quarry/ceramic tile; sheet or tile; vinyl/linoleum; concrete; sealed hardwood in very good condition. |
Floors: carpet or hardwood in poor condition. |
|
Walls: Painted concrete; painted drywall; FRP; tin; ceramic tile; painted wood; may have open stud walls if only prepackaged goods are stored. |
Walls: Wood or open stud walls if opening bulk bags/boxes or repacking. |
|
Ceiling: Painted concrete; painted drywall; fiberglass reinforced plastic; tin; ceramic tile; acoustic tile; may have an open stud ceiling if only prepackaged goods are stored. |
Ceiling: Wood or open stud ceiling if opening bulk bags/boxes and portioning. |
|
Dry goods shelving: Any sealed, scrubbable material acceptable. Must be off the floor with the ability to clean under and around. |
Equipment: Unsealed wood shelving. |
Walk-in coolers and freezers
- Must have at least one temperature-indicating device (thermometer).
- Floor, walls and ceiling must be smooth, durable and easily cleanable (e.g., fiberglass reinforced plastic).
Table 7: Guidance for selecting proper materials for walk-in coolers and freezers
| Acceptable | Unacceptable |
|---|---|
|
Walk-in coolers must maintain proper temperatures. Aluminum, galvanized metal or stainless steel are all acceptable if in good condition. Concrete floors are acceptable if in good condition. |
Any unit that does not maintain proper temperatures. Refrigeration units with improper drainage or leaking condensate. Existing units in poor condition (may be upgraded with acceptable materials or replaced). |
|
Walk-in freezers must keep the product frozen. Sealed/painted wood; fiberglass reinforced plastic; covered wood; stainless steel; and galvanized metal are all acceptable if they are in good condition. Refrigeration units, door seals and handles must be easily cleanable and must prevent condensation, frost or ice build-up. |
Any unit that does not maintain the product at a frozen temperature. Any surface in poor condition. Refrigeration units, door seals and handles that are not easily cleanable and not constructed to prevent condensation, frost or ice build-up. |
Toilet facilities
- Each building must provide employees with adequate, readily accessible toilet facilities.
- Must be kept clean and not be a potential source of contamination to edibles, product-contact surfaces, or packaging materials.
Table 8: Guidance for selecting appropriate materials for toilet facilities
| Acceptable | Unacceptable |
|---|---|
|
A hand sink with hot and cold running water properly installed and maintained in good condition, either in or near the restroom. If it's not in the restroom, a separate hand sink near the restroom, away from the production area, is acceptable. If the facility is for manufacturing and only family members work there, a restroom in the owner’s nearby home is okay. Portable toilets can be used in addition to permanent facilities, if there are handwashing facilities available. |
No dedicated restroom hand sink or not properly plumbed. Portable toilet facilities only (when it is the only restroom). |
Throughout facility
- Enough light to allow for cleaning and production activities.
- Door and window screens or other protection against pests, including some type of pest control.
- Approved source of potable water, approved plumbing, approved wastewater disposal system, and proper disposal of rubbish.
- All surfaces designed to eliminate pooling water.
- Grounds maintained surrounding the building with adequate drainage and no stray rubbish or debris.
Note: It is important to check for changes or updates to applicable laws and regulations, as they are subject to change. This page is intended to be a guide only and may not be all-inclusive. The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management will determine your specific licensing requirements after reviewing all details about your new manufacturing business.