(a) Cheese vats or tanks shall meet the requirements of § 58.416. When direct steam injection is used for heating the milk, the vat or tank may be of single shell construction. The steam shall be culinary steam.

(b) Vats shall be equipped with valves to control the heating and cooling medium and a suitable sanitary outlet valve. Vats used for creaming curd should be equipped with a refrigerated cooling medium. A circulating pump for the heating and cooling medium is recommended.