(240 ILCS 35/1) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 79.1) Sec. 1. For the purpose of this Act: (a) "Artificially cooled refrigeration" hereinafter referred to as "refrigeration" means the storage or keeping of articles of food at or below a temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit in an artificially cooled refrigerated warehouse. (b) "Artificially cooled warehouse" hereinafter referred to as "Refrigerated warehouse" means any place artificially or mechanically cooled to or below a temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit in which articles of food are placed and held for 30 days or more before distribution to wholesalers, retailers or jobbers, other than a locker plant or branch locker plant as defined in "An Act in relation to meat and poultry inspection and making an appropriation therefor", approved July 22, 1959, as now or hereafter amended. (c) "Article of food" means any article used for food or drink or condiment by man, or other animals, whether simple, mixed or compound, or any article used or intended for use as an ingredient in the composition or preparation thereof, except unprocessed fruits or vegetables. (d) An article of food shall be deemed to be "received in refrigeration" when it is delivered to and comes into the possession or custody of the licensee of a refrigerated warehouse. (e) "Department" means the Department of Agriculture of the State of Illinois. (f) "Director" means the Director of the Department. (Source: P.A. 86-231.)

(240 ILCS 35/2) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 79.2) Sec. 2. No person, firm or corporation shall maintain or operate a refrigerated warehouse without a license to do so issued by the Department. Any person, firm or corporation desiring such a license shall make written application to the Department for that purpose, stating the location of the refrigerated warehouse. The Director or his agents thereupon shall make an examination of the refrigerated warehouse and, if it is in a proper sanitary condition and otherwise properly equipped for its intended use, he shall issue a license authorizing the applicant to operate it as a refrigerated warehouse for one year. The licensing cycle shall be the same as the State fiscal year and a license shall be issued upon payment by the applicant of a license fee of $50 per annum to the Department. Any license issued under the provisions of the Act herein repealed that is valid immediately prior to the time this Act takes effect shall be considered as a license issued under the provisions of this Act and shall continue in effect until its expiration date unless sooner revoked under the provisions of this Act. (Source: P.A. 98-86, eff. 7-15-13.)

(240 ILCS 35/3) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 79.3) Sec. 3. In case any refrigerated warehouse, or any part thereof, is at any time deemed by the Department, to be in an unsanitary condition, or not properly equipped for its intended use, the Department shall notify the licensee of such condition and upon the failure of the licensee to put such refrigerated warehouse in a sanitary condition or to properly equip the same for its intended use, within a time to be designated by the Director, the license shall be revoked. (Source: Laws 1955, p. 222.)

(240 ILCS 35/5) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 79.5) Sec. 5. The Department shall inspect and supervise all refrigerated warehouses and make such inspection of articles of food therein as it deems necessary to secure the proper enforcement of this Act, and shall have access to all refrigerated warehouses at all reasonable times. The Director shall appoint such persons as he deems qualified to make any inspection under this act. (Source: Laws 1955, p. 222.)

(240 ILCS 35/6) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 79.6) Sec. 6. No article of food intended for human consumption shall knowingly be placed, received or kept in any refrigerated warehouse, if such article is unfit for human consumption, or may not reasonably be expected to keep wholesome for human consumption, unless said article is previously marked, in accordance with regulations to be prescribed by the Department, in such a way as to indicate plainly the date when such article was received in refrigeration, and the fact that such article is not to be sold or used for human consumption. (Source: Laws 1955, p. 222.)

(240 ILCS 35/7) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 79.7) Sec. 7. Whenever articles of food are received in a refrigerated warehouse, each lot of such articles shall be identified and stamped with a distinguishing lot number under which they shall be kept in refrigeration and which distinguishes them from each and all articles then in refrigeration or delivered later for refrigeration and such lot numbers and the dates of receipt into and delivery from refrigeration shall appear on their records, warehouse or other receipt, or any other memoranda in writing relating to such articles. (Source: Laws 1955, p. 222.)

(240 ILCS 35/8) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 79.8) Sec. 8. No person, firm or corporation shall hereafter keep or permit to remain in any refrigerated warehouse any article of food which has been held in a refrigerated warehouse within the State for a longer aggregate period than 24 months except with the written approval of the Director. (Source: Laws 1955, p. 222.)

(240 ILCS 35/9) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 79.9) Sec. 9. It is unlawful to represent or advertise as fresh any article of food which has been in refrigeration for a period of 30 days or more. (Source: Laws 1955, p. 222.)

(240 ILCS 35/10) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 79.10) Sec. 10. It is unlawful to transfer any article of food from one refrigerated warehouse to another within the State of Illinois if such transfer is made for the purpose of avoiding the provisions of Section 8 of this Act. (Source: Laws 1955, p. 222.)

(240 ILCS 35/11) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 79.11) Sec. 11. The Department shall make and enforce reasonable rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. Such rules and regulations shall be kept in the Director's office, and shall be filed and shall take effect as provided in "The Illinois Administrative Procedure Act", approved August 22, 1975 as amended. (Source: P.A. 83-333.)

(240 ILCS 35/12) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 79.12) Sec. 12. The provisions of the Administrative Review Law, and all amendments and modifications thereof, and the rules adopted pursuant thereto, shall apply to and govern all proceedings for the judicial review of final administrative decisions of the Department hereunder. The term "Administrative Decision" is defined as in Section 3-101 of the Code of Civil Procedure. (Source: P.A. 82-783.)

(240 ILCS 35/13) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 79.13) Sec. 13. Any person, firm or corporation violating any provision of this Act shall be guilty of a business offense, and upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $500 nor more than $10,000 for each offense. (Source: P.A. 81-193.)

(240 ILCS 35/13a) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 79.13a) Sec. 13a. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Illinois Refrigerated Warehouses Act". (Source: P.A. 81-193.)