Special Events

Food Vendors:

• Submit the Notice of Intent to Operate as a Special Event / Market Vendor form (for each tent, food truck, trailer or food premises they are operating to the Middlesex-London Health Unit at least 14 days before the event).

  IMPORTANT: If you are filling the following form for a single event during the calendar year, complete Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Leave Part 4 empty, and proceed to submit.

If you want to include more than one event during this calendar year, make sure you complete the Part 4 of the form. Then, continue to submit.

Ensure Compliance

• read the Special Events Information Package (PDF)
• suppliers must be approved suppliers.
• food preparation must be at an approved kitchen or on-site. No home prepared foods.

During the Event

Food Source:

• food must be from an approved source
• food must be prepared in an inspected kitchen or on-site
• no home prepared foods

Handwashing/ Food Handling:
A handwashing station must be available in the food preparation / food handling area. This should be set up before any food handling begins.

Handwashing stations must have:

• a supply of hot and cold (or a mixture of warm) potable water under pressure
• liquid soap in a dispenser
• paper towel

Food handlers:

• must wear clean clothes and ensure food is not contaminated by hair
• who are experiencing symptoms (such as vomiting, diarrhea or coughing) should not be on-site
• must have a certified food handler on-site and have a copy of the certificate to show the Public Health Inspector

Temperature Control:

• ensure food temperatures are maintained during transportation
• have enough refrigerators or coolers to maintain cold foods at 4^oC (40^oF)  or colder
• have enough hot holding units to maintain hot foods at 60^oC (140^oF) or hotter
• have thermometers on-site to check the temperatures of foods and the temperatures of all cold and hot holding units

Protect Food from Contamination:

• raw and ready-to-eat food products must be fully separated to prevent cross-contamination
• store all food off the floor / ground. Raise foods on tables, shelves or pallets
• make sure all food is covered and is stored in food grade containers or packaging
• have enough utensils to use separate utensils for raw and ready-to-eat foods
• where reusable plates or containers are provided by the patrons, food handlers must ensure that there is no direct contact between the serving utensils and the plates or must wash, rinse and sanitize the serving utensil(s) after each patron (e.g. dishwashing after contact with patron’s plate)

Keep the Food Preparation Area Clean and Sanitary:

• Dishwashing:
  • all utensils and equipment must be:
    • washed: in warm water with dish soap
    • rinsed: in warm water, AND
    • sanitized: with an approved sanitizer for 45 seconds.
  • Dishwashing at an inspected kitchen is permitted (provide enough clean utensils to last the entire day).
  • Single use (disposable) containers must be used for service or sale of foods, unless appropriate dishwashing is available.
  • Approved sanitizers:
    • chlorine at 100 ppm
    • quaternary Ammonium at 200 ppm
    • iodine at 25 ppm
    • other sanitizing agents may be approved. Speak to a Public Health Inspector at the MLHU.
  • Provide test strips or re-agent to measure the strength of the sanitizer being used on-site.
• Waste Management:
  • dispose of garbage in a clean manner
  • dispose of waste water in a clean manner. Do not dispose of waste water on the ground or into a sewer.

Please note: If the requirements for special events are not met, a food vendor may be ordered to close or get a ticket (offence notice).