Fayette County Health District

Temporary Food Service Plan Review and Informational Packet

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is a “temporary food service operation?”

Ø      A temporary food service operation is defined as any place that prepares and or serves food, for a charge or required donation for a period of not longer the five (5) consecutive days.

When do I need a temporary food service operation license?

Ø      If you sell food in Fayette County you are required be Ohio law to apply for and obtain a license from the Fayette County Health District.

Ø      A temporary license is required for any place, location, site, or separate area where food is prepared or served for a charge or required donation.  Food is defined as any raw, cooked, or processed edible substance used or is intended for use in whole or in part for human consumption; “food” includes ice, water, beverages, ingredients and chewing gum.

How much does a temporary food service operation license cost?

Ø      The fee for a temporary food service operation is $25.00 for a period not to exceed five (5) days. Ohio makes an exception to this rule for the County Agricultural Fairs.

How many temporary food service operation licenses can I get each year?

Ø      You may apply for up to ten (10) temporary licenses per year.

When do I have to submit the application and fee?

Ø      The application, supporting documents and the license fee must be received at least 10 days before the event takes place. This allows the Health District tome to review applications, prepare licenses, and schedule inspections for the date(s) of the temporary food service operation. If we do not receive the application and fee at least ten days prior to the event, your application may be refused. If you sell food without a temporary food service operation license, you will be violating Ohio law and the Health District will take the appropriate legal actions.

Do I have read this entire application packet each time I apply?

Ø      Yes. This packet is periodically revised and information is often added and/or removed (note revision date at the bottom right corner of the packet). Anyone working at you temporary food service operation should read this packet.

Temporary Food Service Operation Application Packet

Licensing Process

1.    Read this entire packet.

2.   Complete the license application form.

3.   Complete the license application questionnaire forms

4.   Complete the drawing/layout form.

5.   Submit (above) items 2, 3, and 4 with the appropriate license fee ($25.00 per event at least ten days prior to your event.  We suggest that you make copies of your application questionnaire forms and drawing/layout for use at your event,

6.   The Health District will either approve the application or contact you with questions, comments, recommendations or concerns.

7.   Upon approval of your application, the Health District will provide you with a food chocking first aid poster and wash, rinse and sanitize stickers.

8.   A Health District representative will perform an inspection of the temporary food service operation during the hours of operation of your event.

9.   Upon successful completion of the inspection you will be issues a temporary license, which must be posted in plain-view for customers.

·        Note: The Health District representative will attempt to inspect the operation near the beginning of the operational period; however, this is not always possible due to the number of inspections that we perform. You are not required to wait for the inspection before you begin to prepare and serve food.

 

This packet is designed to be a guide highlighting many important issues when conducting a temporary food service operation. However, the information contained within this packet does not contain all of the applicable rules for food service operations. This packet is a short summary of the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code. This code can be found in the Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 3717-1. Any and all rules found in this chapter are applicable to temporary food service operations and will be enforced.

 

Contact us at :

Fayette County Health District

317 South Fayette St.

Washington CH OH, 43160

Phone: 740-333-3590

 

 

 

Food Safety Requirements

Person-In-Charge Responsibility

Ø      The license holder is considered the Person-In-Charge.

Ø      The PIC is directly responsible for the safe and sanitary operation of the temporary food service operation to protect public health. You are responsible for complying with all applicable food service codes outlined in the Ohio Administrative Code and the Ohio Revised Code. You are also responsible for training your support staff/volunteers to comply with these codes. The OAC Chapter 3717-1-02.4 outlines many of the responsibilities of the PIC.

Ø      The Fayette County Health Department can provide you with a copy of the Uniform Food Code.

Ø      The inspecting health official will “test” your knowledge of food safety, focusing on items in this packet. As the PIC, you should be capable of answering questions about the rules, requirements, and temperatures in this packet. If the Health official determines during the inspection that the PIC is not knowledgeable of the food safety rules or presents a danger to public health, the license may be suspended or revoked.

Hand Washing

Ø      A temporary hand washing station must be provided.

Ø      Flowing warm water must be provided. There are no exceptions. We suggest that you use a coffee urn to heat water. Once heated, pour the hot water from the coffee urn into a large Igloo- type cooler and add cool water to achieve warm water near 110°F.

Ø      Hand soap and paper towels must be provided at the hand wash station. You may not use cloth towels for hand drying.

Ø      Hand sanitizer is not a substitute for hand washing. OYU may only use hand sanitizer after washing your hands.

Ø      The hand wash station should be labeled “Hand Wash Only”

Ø      The hand washing station must be set up as shown below:

2 3                         1                 5                            4     1:Flowing warm water 2: soap 3: Paper towels 4: Catch basin for waste Water 5: Table

Hand washing must be done throughout the day, especially:   After…   Using the restroom               Coughing or Sneezing               Smoking               Handling Money               Eating or Drinking               Handling Raw Foods               Touching unclean items Before…Putting on gloves               Touching clean items

 

Food Safety Requirements

Ware washing

Ø     A temporary ware (utensil) washing station must be provided.

Ø     All food contact ware (utensils) must be washed, rinsed, sanitized and air-dried.

Ø     Ware- washing must be done using a three- compartment/ basin set-up. We suggest that you use three (3) plastic basins, large enough to immerse your largest utensil.

Ø     You may not wash utensils at your hand wash station, nor hand wash at the ware wash station.

Ø     Warm water and dish soap must be provided for washing.

Ø     An approved sanitizer must be used. The most common (and cheapest) approved sanitizer is unscented household bleach. To achieve the proper sanitizing action, you should keep about 100 ppm free chlorine bleach in the water at all times. Using ½ tablespoonful of bleach per one gallon of water is equal to about 100 ppm free chlorine.

Ø     Wiping Cloths that are used to clean tables, counter tops etc. are to be placed in a container of sanitizing solution.

Ø     The ware washing station must be setup as shown below:

 

 

                     Wash          Rinse        Sanitize        Air Dry

 

 

                                 You should label the outside of                               Table

                               Your basins as shown above

                                                                                                                 

Clean Water

Ø     All water used in the temporary food service operation must be obtained from an approved source. An approved source is considered a public /municipal/city water supply or commercially bottled water from an approved source. You should not use water from a private well.

Ø     Water connections through a community spigot should be protected from the backflow of water with an ASSE-approved backflow prevention device, such as ASSE 1011 or 1052. You can usually find these two approved backflow prevention devices in the hardware section of many stores.

Ø     Water hoses if used must be food- quality or drinking water quality hoses (not garden hoses).

Waste Water and Solid Waste

Ø     You should collect and dispose of waste water (gray water) from your hand wash station, ware wash station, fruit/vegetable rinse station, and any other place where water is used

Ø     Waste water must be collected and disposed of into an established and approved sewer system or community collection basin.

Ø     Waste water may not be disposed of into a storm sewer drain. Storm drains convey water to our local waterways such as streams, rivers and creeks.

Ø     Waste water may not be dumped onto the ground or into other unapproved drainage ways.

Ø     Solid waste must be disposed of in trashcans and transported to an approved waste disposal area.

Food Preparation

Ø      All food preparation must occur at the site of the licensed temporary food service operation.

Ø      You may not prepare food at home and transport it to the site of the event.

Ø      Raw fruits and vegetables must be thoroughly rinsed with clean water prior to preparation or use. You must provide flowing water to properly rinse all fruits and vegetables. If you are using fruits or vegetables, you must provide a similar setup to the hand wash stations- flowing water with a catch basin. You may not use your hand wash station as you fruit and vegetable rinse station.

Ø      All food preparation must be done on smooth, non-porous, sealed, easily cleanable surfaces.

Food Protection

Ø      All areas of the temporary food service operation must be protected from the weather and environment using a tent, covering, or building. Protection must be extended to (at least) the food preparation area, service areas, the hand wash station and the ware wash station.

Ø      Food must be kept covered and away from areas of contamination. And all serving spoons must be stored in the food at the food holding temperatures.

Ø      Food must be kept away from the hand wash and ware wash stations.

Ø      Food preparation areas must be set-up near the back of the food operation, away from the public.

Ø      All food, drink and service utensils must be kept at least six (6) inches off the ground. Utilize tables, crates, boxes, skids, or other acceptable means to keep items off of the ground.

Ø      Service utensils (bowls, cup, etc.) must be stored inverted to prevent contamination.

Ø      Smoking is not allowed anywhere near the food preparation areas.

Food Handling

Ø      Food workers/volunteers may not contact exposed, ready to eat food with their bare hands. Ready to eat foods are foods that will not be cooked before serving or have been cooked. Examples of ready –to-eat foods are sandwich buns, cheese, fruits, vegetables, etc.

Ø      Food handlers may use can utensils, deli tissue, spatulas, tongs, or single use gloves to handle ready to eat food.

Ø      Single-use gloves are not a substitute for hand washing. Unwashed hands can expose the outside of the gloves to contamination as they are put onto their hands.

Ø      Food handlers must continue to wash their hands throughout the day even though they may be using single-use gloves. Each time a food handler changes their gloves; they must wash their hands.

Ø      All food workers/volunteers should be healthy and free of known communicable diseases that may be passed through food.

Ø      All food handlers working around exposed food and/or drink must wear a hair restraint. Acceptable restraints are hairnets, hats, visors, bandannas, etc.

Cooking Raw Foods

Ø      All food must come from an approved licensed source. If you have question about a source, please contact the health district.

Ø      Raw foods must be fully cooked to the minimum temperatures established by the Food and Drug Administration and the Ohio Department of Health.

Ø      Cooking temperatures must be monitored with a metal-stem thermometer. You may use a dial meat thermometer or a digital thermometer. Do not use a mercury type thermometer.

Ø      You must provide a least one metal- stem thermometer for checking cooking temperatures

Ø       The metal-stem of the thermometer must be sanitized before and after placing it into a food to check the cooking temperature.

Ø      Foods not meeting proper cooking temperatures are subject to embargo or destruction

Ø      Raw foods must be cooked using the chart below:

* All food cooked in a microwave must reach 165° F for at least 15 seconds*

Reheating Pre-Cooked Foods

Ø    All food must come from an approved, licensed source. If you have a question about a source, please contact the Health District.

Ø    Pre-cooked foods must be fully reheated to minimum temperatures established by the Food and Drug Administration and the Ohio Department of Health.

Ø    Reheating temperatures must be monitored with a metal-stem thermometer. You may use a dial meat thermometer or a digital thermometer. Do not use a mercury-type thermometer.

Ø    You must provide at least one metal stem thermometer for checking reheating temperatures.

Ø    The metal-stem of thermometer must be sanitized before and after placing it into the food to check the reheating temperature.

Ø    Foods not meeting the proper reheating temperatures are subject to destruction and embargo.

Ø    Pre-packaged, commercially processed foods that are packaged in a hermetically sealed container (such as Hot Dogs) must be reheated to at least 140° F.

Thawing

Ø      There are four acceptable ways to thaw foods:

1.      Refrigeration- This is the most favorable way to thaw foods: Move the frozen food from a freezer to a refrigerator that is holding 41°F or lower. However, this may take several days.

2.      Cooking-Food may be thawed as part or the cooking process as long as the food reaches the minimum internal cooking temperature.

3.      Microwave- If the food is cooked immediately it may be thawed in a microwave. Keep in mind that the cooking process could begin in the microwave using this method of thawing.

4.      Running water- Food must be completely submerged under cold running water. Water temperature may not exceed 70°F. Food temperature may never exceed 41°F during thawing.

Holding Food Hot and Cold

Ø      Holding temperatures, both hot and cold, must be monitored with a metal-stem thermometer. You may use a dial meat thermometer or a digital thermometer. Your thermometer should be capable of checking both hot and cold foods.

Ø      You must provide at least one metal-stem thermometer for checking holding temperatures.

Ø      After being cooked or reheated, hot foods must be held at or above 135°F.

Ø      Cold foods must be held at or below 41°F.

Ø      Store all raw foods cold in a separate cooler (for example, store raw hamburger patties on ice in one cooler and store lettuce and cheese on ice in a separate cooler.

Ø      Foods not meeting the proper holding temperatures are subject to destruction or embargo.

Ø      Ice used for human consumption cannot be used for anything else. (Food storage).

 

License Application Questionnaire

Please fully answer each question. If a question does not apply to you, please write “N/A”.

 

Person –in-charge (PIC) Responsibility

 

1) Who will be the Person-in-Charge at the temporary food service operation?

 

 

 

Hand Washing

 

1) What will your hand washing station setup consist of?

 

 

 

Ware Washing

 

1) What will your three-compartment/basin ware washing station consist of?

 

 

 

2) What type of sanitizer will you use in the third compartment/basin?

 

 

 

Clean Water

 

1) From where will you obtain all of your clean water?

 

 

2) How will you prevent backflow of water if you are connecting a food quality hose to a community spigot?

 

 

 

Waste Water and Solid Waste

 

1) Where will you dispose of all waste/gray water generated by your hand washing station, ware washing station, and food preparation activities?

 

 

 

2) Where will you dispose of all solid waste generated by the temporary food service operation?

 

 

 

Food Preparation

 

1) Where will all food, drinks and ingredients be purchased?

 

 

 

2) What kind of equipment will you use to transport cold foods from the source to the temporary food service operation site? How will these foods stay cold?

 

 

 

 

3) Will any food be prepared at a private home or off-site of the temporary food service operation?

 

 

 

4) Will you be using any raw fruits or vegetables? If so, how will you rinse them with water?

 

 

 

 

Food Protection

 

1) How will you protect your food preparation areas, service areas, the hand wash station and the ware wash station form contamination, rain, dust, etc.?

 

 

 

2) What will you use to keep all food, drink and utensils at least 6 inches off of the ground?

 

 

Food Handling

1) What will you use to prevent bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods?

 

2) What kind of hair restraints will food handlers use who are working around exposed food/drink?