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Food Protection Topics:
Food Protection Program
Foodborne
Illness
Information
Food
Service Licensing Information
Temporary
Food Service Licensing
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Guidelines
for Food Service at Temporary Events
Food Safety Practices and Procedures
for Temporary Food Service Operations
Check
List for Temporary Food Service Events
Temperature
Guidelines for Food Safety
Temporary
Food Service Application
and Registration
Form
Guidelines
for Food Service at Temporary Food Service Events
A "Temporary Food Service Event" is defined as a food service
establishment that operates at a fixed location for a temporary period of
time, including one day events and not to exceed 14 consecutive days. Temporary Food Service includes, but is not limited to, the
following; fairs, carnivals, public exhibitions, festivals, religious
institution events and school functions.
These guidelines are intended to provide minimum construction
requirements for temporary food service facilities and to offer food
safety information that will minimize the risk of a foodborne illness
outbreak at a temporary event. The information provided within this packet
will help to ensure the safety of the foods served, and in turn protect
the health of your patrons.
Licensing Procedures:
Every operation serving food at a temporary event must obtain a
Temporary Food Service License from the Torrington Area Health District (TAHD).
To obtain a license the designated food operator shall:
- Contact the TAHD for the necessary application
w/ registration form and information packet. In some cases, such as a large event, a food
coordinator may distribute the information to the food booths.
- Complete the application and provide all the information that has
been requested.
- Submit the application and licensing fee (if applicable) to the TAHD
office at least 10 working days prior to the date of the event. This will
allow us time to process the application, review the information
submitted and assign the event to a food service inspector.
Failure to
submit the application and licensing fee within the requested time frame
will result in a $100.00 fine or denial of a Temporary Food
Service License.
- An inspection of the food operation will be made on the day of the
event. If the food service inspector is satisfied that the conditions
of the license have been met, the license will be issued and posted
for the duration indicated on the Temporary Food Service License.
Important notes concerning licensing requirements:
Itinerant vendor licenses are not valid for temporary events at fairs
or events where the vendor pays for a specific temporary site. Itinerant
vendors must apply for a Temporary License in accordance with the
procedures outlined above.
- Food service establishments with a valid Food Service License may
provide outside service for a Temporary Event (sidewalk type service)
without charge, only if all food prepared represents the establishment’s
current menu and classification. Licensed food service
establishments must notify the TAHD of this service two weeks prior to
the event and they must comply with the Temporary Food
Protection requirements. If cooking is to be done outside, then the
licensed food service establishment must obtain a Temporary Food
Service License and pay the standard fee.
- Religious groups, youth organizations and agencies funded in whole
or in part by tax dollars from towns which are members of the
Torrington Area Health District will be exempt from the registration
fee. However, fee exempt operations are obligated to submit the
application 10 working days prior to the event. Failure to apply will result
in the charging of a late fee.
Communication is very important to ensure that the application process
goes smoothly. If there are questions or concerns after reviewing this
information please contact a food service inspector at TAHD. Timely submittal of a complete
application
and registration
form allows TAHD to assist
the applicant with food service arrangements prior to the event thereby
eliminating possible problems on the day of inspection.
The designated food operator, Temporary Food Service Applicant, must be
actively involved in the preparation of food products served. The
designated food operator is responsible for training all other food
handlers and for insuring that proper procedures are understood and
followed. We strongly recommend that the designated person have
professional experience within the food service industry and / or have
successfully completed a Food
Safety Certification Course.
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Food Safety Practices and Procedures for Temporary
Food Service Operations:
Menu Items:
All menu items must be from an approved source – meats and poultry must
be USDA inspected. Menu items must be prepared on-site or in a licensed
commercial establishment. Restrictions/modifications of the menu or
preparation methods may be required by the food service inspector in order
to minimize the risk of a possible foodborne illness outbreak.
Important Notes:
- Food products can NOT be cooked or prepared in private homes.
- Home canned foods can NOT be utilized or served.
- Ice provided for drinks and coolers must be from an approved source.
Ice from home is NOT acceptable.
- Wild game or finfish from NON-Commercial sources can NOT
be served.
- All meats and poultry must be USDA Inspected.
- If shellfish, from approved sources only, are prepared and
served, ALL TAGS must be saved for ninety days and be presented
at the event site.
- All receipts and bills of sale must be retained and made available to
the food service inspector upon request.
Food Preparation & Storage:
The safest method of preparing food for sale at a temporary food
service event is to "cook to order". This will eliminate
the need to hot - hold foods @ 140 degrees F or above for an extended
amount of time.
All potentially hazardous foods used at a temporary event must be
transported and stored in cooling units that will maintain an internal
food temperature of 45 degrees F or below. Potentially hazardous
foods (PHF) are those capable of supporting the rapid and progressive
growth of infectious or toxigenic microorganisms, or the slower growth of
clostridium botulinum. Some of the food products within this category are
those consisting in whole or part of milk, milk products, eggs, meats,
poultry, fish, shellfish, cooked rice, beans, potatoes, sliced melons and
cream filled pastries. The required cooking, cooling and holding
temperatures, as well as other food safety procedures referring to PHFs,
are listed within the document titled Internal
Cooking Temperatures provided within this packet.
Only equipment capable of maintaining foods at safe temperatures
(below 45 degrees F or above 140 degrees F) shall be used. Adequate
refrigeration such as refrigerated trucks, refrigerators and coolers with
well-drained ice or ice packs must be provided for keeping food cold. For
example, a refrigerated truck would be used for bulk storage, and small
refrigerators or coolers used for short-term service near the grills. An
ample supply of ice from approved sources and ice packs must be provided.
If electrically powered cooling units are used, care must be taken to be
sure that the service lines can handle the voltage. All units must be
provided with accurate thermometers.
Food preparation tasks (i.e. chopping, slicing, etc.) must be completed in
the temporary licensed area or off-site in a licensed facility. If
food preparation tasks are done off-site in a licensed facility the
name and address of the establishment must be provided on the TAHD
application. These establishments must be in compliance with applicable
local, state and federal food service regulations. A copy of the Food
Service License and recent inspection report may be requested by the TAHD.
Provide utensils, tongs, spoons, single service paper and/or gloves for
handling food products. Food handlers are required to minimize bare
hand contact with all food items. The TAHD requires extra serving and
preparation equipment to be on-site. Serving and preparation equipment
should be replaced as necessary or after a maximum of 4 hours of use.
Gloves or utensils are not substitutes for handwashing. Gloves should not
be used for multiple tasks; hands should be thoroughly washed between
glove changes.
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Safe Food
Preparation Practices & Procedures
® See chart . . . Internal
Cooking Temperatures -
which includes the temperature requirements for cooking, hot and cold
holding, reheating and cooling. Thermometers are required in all holding
units. Probe-type thermometers are required for checking and monitoring
internal food product temperatures (range of 0 degrees F – 220
degrees F). Alcohol swabs or other approved cleaners are necessary for
sanitizing the probe-type thermometer before and after each use.
® Defrost frozen foods in cooling units
below 45 degrees F, as part of the cooking process, or under cold (70
degrees F or below) running water for less than 2 hours. Never defrost
frozen foods at room or outdoor temperature. A microwave oven may be
used only if the food product is to be thoroughly cooked immediately.
® Potentially hazardous foods must be
transported in vehicles equipped with hot holding or refrigeration units
capable of maintaining internal product temperatures below 45 degrees F or
above 140 degrees F. Insulated containers, such as ice chests, may be
approved by TAHD for transportation of cold food products providing they
can maintain
internal product temperatures of 45 degrees F or less. All refrigeration
and heating units must be provided with thermometers.
® Cooking to order is preferred and
recommended. If foods require hot holding, gas fired steam tables are
preferred. Other warming units may be approved. Holding units should not
be used for reheating. Potentially hazardous foods must be heated to 165
degrees F prior to placement in a hot holding unit.
Interrupting the cooking process of food is not allowed. Partially
cooking food, holding it, and then completing the cooking process at a
later time will allow for the growth of dangerous bacteria. This type of
food preparation is not allowed and foods prepared in this manner will be
discarded by the TAHD.
- Prevent Cross-Contamination
while preparing, storing and serving foods. Designate specific areas
in cooling units for storage of raw and cooked foods. Do not
interchange utensils, cutting boards, containers or other equipment that
have been previously used for raw foods.
For examples; do not slice tomatoes and onions on the cutting
board just used for cutting raw chicken, do not place cooked
burgers on rolls with utensils used to place raw burgers on to the
cooking surface, do not place tomatoes into a unwashed container
that previously held raw chicken. It is recommended that separate areas
be designated for Preparing Potentially Hazardous Food Products ONLY;
such as raw meat, poultry & fish and for Preparing Cooked or
Ready to Eat Food Products ONLY.
® Never Re-Use Marinades – once the
product is marinated and is in the cooking process, fresh marinade
may be added to meat while cooking – if required by recipe. The left
over marinade must be disposed of properly and never re-used for any
purpose.
® Never Pool Raw Shell Eggs – it is
required that liquid pasteurized eggs be used for making large quantities
of scrambled eggs, pancakes, funnel cakes, or other egg containing
batters.
® All leftovers must be discarded at the
end of a service day. Food products prepared and ready for service cannot
be re-served the next day at multiple day events.
Food Protection:
Temporary Food Service operations are required to have overhead
protection and ground cover. Foods must be prepared in a tent, food service vehicle or
structure that has been approved by the TAHD and designed to protect food
from flies, dust, sneezing and other contamination during transportation,
storage and display. Grilling equipment and barbecue pits without
overhead protection will not be approved by TAHD. Flooring must be
non-absorbent and cleanable which allows for easy clean up of any
mishandle food products and minimizes dust and mud. Materials such as
concrete, asphalt, non-absorbent matting, tight wood, removable platforms,
or duck board may be used. Food-contact and nonfood-contact surfaces must be
easily cleaned and in good structural condition. Adequate lighting should
be provided to illuminate working surfaces.
Non-potentially hazardous food products and ice, disposable utensils and
single service articles are required to be stored in covered food grade
containers that are kept up off of the ground. Potentially hazardous food
products that require refrigeration must be stored in an approved manner
maintaining 45 degrees F or below. Cooked potentially hazardous food
products intended to be served hot must be held in an approved manner so
as to maintain an internal temperature of 140 degrees F or above. All
food products, utensils, equipment, condiments and necessary items are to
be stored and dispensed in such a manner that will prevent any
contamination.
Sanitation:
The temporary food service site must be maintained in a sanitary
manner at all times. All food-contact surfaces and equipment shall be
cleaned and sanitized at regular intervals and as often as necessary to
maintain a high standard of cleanliness.
The following procedure is to be used for all food contact surfaces and
equipment, such as cutting boards, utensils, food containers, counters,
etc.
1 – Wash with hot water and soap
2 – Rinse with hot clean water
3 – Sanitize with an approved sanitizer for one minute
4 – Allow to Air Dry in a protected area
A three-compartment sink or mechanical dishwasher should be utilized
whenever the operation involves extensive potentially hazardous food
preparation. In cases where food preparation equipment and utensil use is
minimal a substitute three bay sink arrangement using clean buckets may be
used. Limited food preparation sites may rely on multiple utensils and
equipment that can be changed periodically throughout the service day.
If bleach is used to sanitize food-contact surfaces after washing, the
solution should be a proper concentration – 1 cap full of bleach to 1
gallon of water or 1/3 cup of bleach to 5 gallons of water. Also, bleach
solutions/sanitizing solutions are required for soaking wiping clothes not
in use. Provide an ample supply of paper towels and cleaning spays or
other sanitizers for cleaning – be sure to follow label directions on
all cleaning and sanitizing product bottles.
 Hand
Washing:
Each temporary food service operation must be provided with a hand washing
station consisting of warm water, hand soap and paper towels. A garbage
container should be located adjacent to the hand washing station.
A substitute hand washing station consisting of the following may be
utilized when food preparation is limited or a water supply is not
available.
® Provide a container with a tap or spigot,
such as an icetea container or coffeepot for storage of warm water. The
capacity of the container should not be less than five (5) gallons.
® Provide a container directly under tap or
spigot to catch wastewater
® Provide dispenser type hand soap and paper
towels
® Provide a garbage receptacle in close
proximity to the hand washing station
It is recommended that you research the possibility of renting a portable
hand washing station from a rental agency.
All food handlers must thoroughly wash their hands with soap and warm
water before starting work. Food handlers are to wash their hands after
the following activities - handling money, using the toilet facility,
touching their face or hair, blowing their nose, handling raw meat /
poultry, handling trash, and any other activity that contaminates their
hands.
Disposal of all Liquid Wastes:
All liquid wastes must be collected and disposed of in an approved manner
that will not create a nuisance or a public health hazard. Do not discard
liquid wastes on the ground, in waterways, or in storm drains. Wastewater
can not be reused for any other purpose. Waste cooking oil and grease must
be disposed of in an approved manner. This type of waste cannot be dumped
with other trash and garbage. Operations that generate a large amount of
grease should provide a separate grease container on-site for disposal at
an approved facility.
Personnel and Hygiene Practices:
The designated food operator is responsible for the following:
® Provide information to all food handlers on
specific food safety practices and procedures relevant to the menu items
to be prepared and served to the public.
® Maintain a logbook with names, addresses,
phone numbers, dates and time of food handlers’ service.
® Only authorized personnel are allowed in the
direct food preparation area. Authorized personnel must wear clean
clothes, approved hair restraints and maintain a high degree of personal
cleanliness.
® All food handlers must wash hands properly
and frequently. Please enforce all the necessary times for hand washing
such as, upon entering food preparation area, after using the toilet,
after eating, after smoking, after handling garbage, after handling
potentially hazardous foods, after any break in food preparation tasks,
after the handling of money etc.
® Animals are not allowed in the food
preparation areas, food service areas or areas where food products are
stored.
® Food handlers can not smoke cigarettes while
preparing food or while in any area designated as the Temporary Food
Service Establishment.
® Food handlers are not allowed to prepare or
serve food while affected with any disease in a communicable form, or
while a carrier of such a disease, or while afflicted with boils, sores,
infected wounds, or an acute respiratory infection. Persons who have been
ill with gastroenteritis or flu-like symptoms should be excluded from all
food preparation and food service areas for at least 48 hours after all
symptoms have subsided. Employees who have experienced illness with
diarrhea should not return to work without approval from the health
department. All necessary precautions must be taken to prevent the
transmission of disease via contamination of food, drink, food-contact
surfaces and person to person.
REVOKING OF TEMPORARY FOOD SERVICE LICENSES – BOOTH CLOSURES
A Temporary Food Service License is issued based on compliance
with the Connecticut Public Health Code Section 19-13-B42 and the
Torrington Area Health District regulations. Temperature, pH and water
activity level conditions must be maintained so as to inhibit rapid and
progressive growth of infectious or toxigenic microorganisms. Site
inspections will be conducted by a Sanitarian of this District to
determine compliance with any or all criteria contained within this
packet.
The Temporary Food Service License may be revoked at any time for any
reason by the Director of Health or his agent (Sanitarian), when in
his/her opinion such action is warranted. The food operation will not be
allowed to reopen for food service without written approval from the
Director of Health or the Sanitarian.
Important Note:
The Director of Health or his agent depending on the nature of the
foods served and the preparation activities may impose additional
requirements of individual Temporary Food Service operations. Licenses
will not be issued until all requirements deemed necessary are met.
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