Special Events Vendor Information Package Package Includes: 1) Food Vendor Requirements: -Food Supply and Water -Food Handling and Protection -Temperature Control -Dishwashing -Sanitizing and how to mix a bleach solution -Food Handler Hygiene -Hand Washing Facilities -Exemptions from Hand Washing Facility requirement -Wastewater Disposal -Solid Waste Disposal -Changes to the Smoke Free Ontario Act 2) Points to ponder (set fines list) 3) Exemptions from the Food Premise Regulation 4) Special Event Food Vendor Form Important Information: All persons and/or organizations planning to sell or give food away to the public must contact Oxford County Public Health & Emergency Services at: (519) 539-9800 x 3520(phone) or (519)539-6206(fax) Public Health department approval must be obtained prior to operating food booth
Food Vendor Requirements Food Supply and Water Food products must come from an approved inspected or commercial source, unless an exemption has been granted from the Food Premises Regulation. No home canned or items which have been prepared outside of an inspected kitchen may be served or sold. Any eggs must be graded and any milk products or apple cider must be pasteurized. All meat must be government inspected. Water and ice must come from an approved potable water source. Food Handling and Protection When setting up a temporary food booth, an overhead covering is required to protect food items during preparation and serving. Other important information to consider is: All food items are required to be stored at least 15 cm off of the ground, Ensure to keep food covered in containers/wrappings to protect items from contamination during storage/display. This includes condiments and samples. Utensils should be used to handle food whenever possible. Ensure to use separate utensils for raw vs cooked food items. All food contact surfaces must be smooth, non-absorbent and easy to clean Keep food preparation area separate from food service area Only use single-service utensils for patrons Try to designate one person as a cash-handler who will not be in direct contact with food items. Temperature Control A probe thermometer is necessary to monitor the internal temperature of food items while cold/hot holding or cooking at a special event. Indicating thermometers are also required to monitor the temperature of storage areas (fridges, coolers, etc). Ensure to monitor the temperature of hazardous food items frequently, and discard any hazardous food items which have been in the danger zone (between 4-60 C) for more than 2 hours. See below for specifics in temperature control: Action Category Temperature Required Cold Holding: Refrigeration 4 C or colder Freezing -18 C or colder Hot Holding: Hot Holding 60 C or warmer Cooking: Whole Poultry 82 C for at least 15s Poultry Pieces 74 C for at least 15s Ground Meat other than Poultry 71 C for at least 15s Pork 71 C for at least 15s Fish 70 C for at least 15s Hazardous Food Mixtures 74 C for at least 15s Reheating Reheating to original cooking temp within 2 hours
**Important note about temperature control: Upon inspection, if items have been found to be the improper temperature, and you are unable to prove that the item has not been in the danger zone for less than 2 hours, the public health inspector may require that you discard the item. Dishwashing When possible, it is best to do dishes in an inspected kitchen and simply have a large number of utensils to work with and swap out over the course of the day to avoid the need for dishwashing on-site at the event. However; a portable dishwash sink or a temporary dishwash set-up can be approved for special events if the correct supplies are available, and if multi-use utensils are not being used. The temporary dishwash set-up entails: Three sinks (dishwashing tubs, large bus-bins, etc) Means of obtaining hot potable water (using a municipal sink or using a large kettle or pot and hot plate to heat water) Soap, Sanitizer (bleach, quat or iodine), test strips for sanitizer A three sink method will be used: *Note: See How to Mix a Bleach Solution section on the next page for directions on sanitizing with bleach
Sanitizing and how to mix a bleach solution All food contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized prior to food preparation. Surfaces must be cleaned with soap and water, and then a sanitizer such as a bleach or quat solution should be applied. Bleach is a cheap and effective sanitizer How to mix: For 100ppm (dishwashing level) - mix ¼ teaspoon of 5.25% bleach in 2 cups of water For 200ppm (for food contact surfaces which cannot be washed in a sink) mix ½ teaspoon of 5.25% bleach in 2 cups of water *use test strips to verify sanitizer concentration. Ensure to mix fresh daily. Ensure to store chemicals away from food. Food Handler Hygiene Tips: Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before beginning to prepare food, and any time that contamination may have occurred Wear clean outer garments, and keep hair confined Cover any cuts or sores on hands with bandages, and wear gloves Do not smoke in the booth or while handling food Do not eat in the booth or while handling food Hand washing Facilities: If possible, it is best to obtain a portable hand wash sink which has hot and cold running water. If this cannot be obtained, a jug/container with a spigot which can allow for water to run freely by gravity is acceptable. Ensure to have a means of capturing the wastewater (ie: large bucket). There must also be soap and paper towel available at the hand wash station.
Premises exempt from hand and dish wash facilities: As long as the premise uses only single-service articles, provides a supply of moist hand towelettes for employees, and has an eating or drinking area not exceeding fiftysix square metres, the following premises are exempt from the requirement to provide hand washing and dish washing facilities: Premises only selling cold drinks from the original container Premises where only packaged frozen confections are sold Premises where only hot beverages are prepared and sold Farms selling only their own farm products in the form of honey, maple syrup or unprocessed fruits, vegetables and grains Premises preparing and selling only popped corn, roasted nuts or French fried potatoes Premises selling only pre-packaged non-hazardous food items. Wastewater Disposal: Do not dispose of wastewater on the ground. Ensure wastewater which does not go straight to the sanitary sewer is stored in a sealed container until a time when it can be disposed of into a sanitary sewer, septic system or holding tank. Solid Waste Disposal: Ensure solid waste is kept in a trash receptacle with a lid at the event, and is emptied as needed. Trash receptacles which are open and overflowing can attract pests. Changes to the Smoke Free Ontario Act: In January of 2015 some changes occurred to the Smoke Free Ontario Act. Changes which may affect smokers or staff at your event include: 1) You may no longer smoke on or around children s playgrounds and publicly owned sports fields and surfaces (ie: soccer fields, ice rinks, splash pads, swimming pools) owned by a municipality, the province, or a postsecondary education institution. 2) You may no longer smoke on all bar and restaurant patios, whether covered or not (with an exemption for uncovered patios established by the Royal Canadian Legion Ontario Provincial Command prior to November 18, 2013 Ensure to speak with the Public Health Inspector who approves your event or call Oxford County Public Health & Emergency Services at (519) 539-9800 x 3496 if you have any questions or concerns in regards to these changes and how they may affect your event.
SPECIAL EVENTS POINTS TO PONDER FACTS Note: The following conditions/requirements must be met and provided where applicable. When this is not done the fines listed in the right hand column may be issued. 1. All hazardous foods must be maintained at proper temperature control. - hot holding temperature must be 60 o C (140 o F) or higher - cold holding temperature must be 5 o C (40 o F) or lower. 2. Accurate food thermometers must be provided in all hot and cold holding units. FINES Including Victim Surcharge $375.00 100.00 3. Avoid unnecessary stacking of hazardous cooked foods 375.00 4. Provide refrigerated space adequate for the safe storage of hazardous and 375.00 perishable foods. 5. All food products must be stored and displayed in such a manner as to be 50.00 protected from contamination. ie. covered containers, 15 cm off floor/ground 6. All raw hazardous foods must be stored in a manner as not to cross 250.00 contaminate other food products 7. Hot and cold running water under pressure must be provided at the hand wash 250.00 and dishwashing sinks. 8. Hand wash sink must be equipped with soap in a dispenser and single service 100.00 disposal paper towels. 9. Fail to wash hands before commencing/resuming work 250.00 10. Provide and use an approved sanitizer to disinfect utensils, equipment and 250.00 work surfaces ie bleach 11. Provide test strips to detemine sanitizer strength for manual dishwashing and 50.00 wiper rag storage. 12. Foodhandlers must wear clean outer garments and headgear that confines the 50.00 hair. 13. All liquid wastes must be disposed of in a sanitary manner. 50.00 14. Garbage must be stored in containers of durable leak proof material with lids. 50.00 15. Absolutely No Smoking in the food preparation area. 50.00
Are you exempt from the Food Premise Regulation? Some special events can be considered exempt from Ontario Regulation 562- food premises; However, Oxford County Public Health & Emergency Services encourages all persons and organizations to comply with the requirements of the Food Premises Regulation. Events that can be considered exempt include those operated by: 1) Religious Organizations organization other than a registered charity, of which a congregation is a constituent part, that adheres to beliefs, evidences by the religious and philosophical tenets of the organization, that include a belief in the existence of a supreme being (Income Tax Act) 2) Service Clubs any of several organizations dedicated to the growth and general welfare of its members and the community (Webster s Dictionary). Examples include: Lion s Club, Rotary Club, Optimists, Royal Canadian Legion, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, Community Sports Associations, etc 3) Fraternal Organizations any organized body of men, women, or both, who are banded together, not for pecuniary profit, but for mutual assistance, and to promote moral, intellectual or social benefits among the members (Union Club of BC v. Saanich). Examples include: Knights of Columbus, Masonic Lodge, Moose Lodge, Sisterhoods and Brotherhoods, etc Note: at an event with multiple vendors, each booth will be examined separately to determine exemption status. The entire event is only exempt if all booths fall under the exemption category. My special event is exempt, what does this mean? Being exempt from the food premise regulation does not mean that the event is exempted from inspection for health hazards under the Health Protection and Promotion act by a Public Health Inspector. A list must be kept of any hazardous food that is prepared in a kitchen which is not inspected under the food premise regulation. The list must contain each item donor s name, address and telephone number. This list must be available to a Public Health Inspector. A sign must also be posted in a conspicuous location, indicating that the food premise has not been inspected in accordance with the food premise regulation. Organizations that refuse to post or maintain the lists as required will not be exempt from the food premise regulation.