Temporary Food Facility Requirements

• If you're a student: Apply at least 3 weeks in advance through the Triton Activities Planner.
• If you're not a student: Apply at least 5 working days in advance of your event.
  • Complete a permit application (PDF).
  • Send the form to Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S):
    E-mail: EH&S General Safety
    Mail Code: 0920
    Fax: (858) 822-3194
• EH&S will review and return an approved form to you.
• Keep the approved form at the food booth/stand for the duration of the event.
• Follow the requirements for safe food handling on this page.

• Do not prepare or store food at home, with the exception of individually wrapped non-perishable baked goods.
• Obtain all other food from an approved vendor operating under the license and inspection of the local public health department. Suitable vendors include:
  • Retail grocery stores
  • Wholesale suppliers
  • Commercial restaurants, delicatessans, or caterers
• Prepare and cook all extensive foods in the International Center kitchen or other approved facility prior to transport to the site.
  • Extensive food preparation at the booth site is prohibited.
  • Limited food preparation actions, such as slicing, grilling, cooking, simple assembling and serving are permitted.
• Control temperatures if you're serving potentially hazardous foods. Foods containing high-protein ingredients (beef, pork, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, cheese, tofu, rice, beans, potatoes, etc.) support bacterial growth and can cause food borne illnesses.
  • Plan to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold as follows:
    • Cold hold all readily perishable foods in an ice chest or refrigerator at a temperature of 41°F or below until served.
    • Hot hold all hot foods at a temperature above 135°F from the time of preparation until served.
    • Important: Serve hot foods transported at less than 135°F within 30 minutes of delivery.
• Select premixed, prewrapped products:
  • Beverages: Serve only premixed, unopened canned or bottled beverages. Do not provide ice for the beverages.
  • Condiments: Provide condiments in squeeze bottle-type containers or individual self-service packages.
  • Utensils: Use only disposable eating and drinking utensils maintained in a sanitary condition at all times.

• Select a location within 200 feet of toilet and handwashing facilities available to booth employees.
  • Student groups are encouraged to work with the International Center to take advantage of its institutional food preparation and storage area.
• Plan a fire safety layout similar to this configuration:
• Place adequate trash containers near your facility.

If you plan to cook or grill foods at your booth, a handwash station is required. This includes grilling meats, cooking rice, or cooking hot dogs.

Limited food preparation, such as dish-up service, scooping and serving fully cooked foods, or serving prepackaged foods do not require a handwash station.

• Use 1 of these options:
  • Option 1: Use a stand-alone station from the Price Center (limit 4 booths per station). Contact Price Center Reservations, (858) 534-7666, to reserve a stand-alone handwash station
  • Option 2: Set up a handwash station that has:
    • A minimum 2 gallon container of water with a spigot tap
    • A bottle of pump-style liquid or foam soap
    • A roll of paper towels for drying hands
    • A catch bucket or basin to catch the dirty water

     

If barbecues or gas-fired cooking devices are used, a 5- or 10-pound Type ABC fire extinguisher is required.

• Students: Rent an extinguisher from the Center for Student Involvement (subject to availability).
  • Contact the Center for Student Involvement by e-mail or phone, (858) 534-0501.
  • A $25 deposit is required, which will be refunded if the extinguisher is not used.
  • Pick up an extinguisher at the Center for Student Involvement office, Price Center East, level 3.
• Staff members: obtain a fire extinguisher from Facilities Management.
  • If you need both a barbecue and an extinguisher, submit an online Special Event Request.
  • If you need an extinguisher only, submit a regular online Work Request.
  • An index number is required; there is a charge regardless of whether or not the extinguisher is used.
  • Order an extinguisher several days before your event to make sure one is available.
• Follow these steps for extinguisher use:
  • Read How to Use a Fire Extinguisher.
  • Place the extinguisher within 75 feet of the barbecue or grill. Make sure workers can get to the extinguisher quickly and easily.
  • Cordon off barbecues and grills from the public.

• Do not allow people who are ill to handle, prepare, or serve food.
• Wash your hands with soap and warm water before beginning work, immediately after using toilet facilities, and other times as necessary to prevent contamination of food.
• Confine hair by tying it up or back, or by wearing a hat or hair net.
• Use tongs, spatulas, or disposable plastic gloves when preparing or serving food to eliminate bare hand contact with foods.
• Do not defrost potentially hazardous foods at room temperature! Use 1 of these methods to safely defrost frozen food:
  • Defrost food quickly in a microwave oven then transfer it to a refrigerator.
  • Allow frozen food to defrost in a refrigerator overnight.
• Smoking is prohibited in food preparation and serving areas.