Temporary Food Permits Guidelines

These guidelines must be carefully reviewed and observed in order to obtain and retain a Temporary Food Permit for a function or bake sale. They are intended to protect you and your customer from food borne illness.

  1. Wash your hands to start and every time you do something different. Do not handle any ready to eat food with bare hands, always use food handler gloves. Wear sufficient hair cover (hairnet, hat, or bandana). Only food prepackaged or previously individually wrapped/packaged for individual sale may be handled with bare hands.
  2. Do not smoke, eat or drink while working. Take a break and wash hands upon returning to work.
  3. Keep all food covered or behind a sneeze guard. All food is to be covered when not being served. Lids, plastic wrap or foil may be used.
  4. Meats must be cooked to an internal temperature of 155°F for beef and 165°F for poultry. Then maintained at or above 135°F for hot foods during serving. Cold food (milk and egg products) must be maintained at a temperature less than 41°F.
  5. Ice used for drinks must remain covered. No other food items can be stored in ice that is used keep items cold. Ice used to keep foods cold MUST NOT be used for consumption.
  6. No potentially hazardous foods may be served without a variance from the Sanitarian. This includes sushi (uncooked fish), non-inspected meat products: such as wildgame (deer or turkey), stuffing cooked within poultry, custard (pumpkin) pies, pecan pies, cream-filled pastries, or other items known to spoil. No home canned foods may be served or sold.
  7. For Pot Lucks: Foods must be prepared right before the event (not 1-2 days before). Food must be served within four hours of the start of the event. Food remaining after the event must be disposed of rather than packed for storage/future consumption.
  8. For Catered Events: All food must be served within four hours of pick-up or drop-off by restaurant or caterer. Food remaining after the event must be disposed of rather than packaged for storage/future consumption.
  9. For Bake Sales: All home baked items must be packaged in individual packages by staff wearing food worker gloves prior to being transported to the sale location. Individually packaged items may be handled with bare hands at the bake sale.
  10. Fruits and vegetables must be sold whole.
  11. All people handling food must wear gloves and have hair restrained by a hairnet, cap, or bandana. Eating, drinking or use of tobacco products while distributing food is NOT allowed. Staff serving food must take requests from those being served--staff then provide food on a plate to those requesting food. Staff serving food must be in good health, with no knowledge of signs or symptoms of illness that could be transmitted to another person. The use of tongs, forks, and spatulas is required to minimize contact with food. Self-service is allowed only when the food is pre-wrapped. Sugar, ketchup and similar foods must be in closed containers and preferably single-service packets.
  12. Reusable tableware may be used only if it has been washed and sanitized prior to use. Disposable dinnerware is a suitable alternative. Store and handle both reusable and disposable tableware so as not to contaminate the food end. Pickup utensils by the handle. Open disposable cups from the bottom and only handle from the bottom.
  13. A chemical sanitizer must be used to clean reusable utensils and food contact surfaces. For proper cleaning use:
    1. Hot soapy water to wash.
    2. Clean rinse water
    3. Sanitizer
    Utensils and equipment must remain submerged in the sanitizer for at least 1 minute and then air dried only. Bleach in a 50 to 200 ppm solution is a common sanitizer.
  14. During fly season, steps must be taken to minimize their presence. If in a building, doors and windows must be screened or shut. Outdoors, all food items must be covered unless being served. If possible, a fan blowing on the food will keep flies to a minimum.
  15. YOU MUST REPORT potential food related illnesses following an event to the MU Sanitarian at 882-7018, as soon as you become aware of a concern.

The purpose of these requirements is to protect the health of your customers and to protect you and your group as much as possible from situations involving liability for illness. These rules are intended as a guide and will not fit every situation. Should you have questions. Please call Environmental Health & Safety at 882-7018.