Open Food Event

If at any point you have questions about your food service event, please contact EHS for clarification.  

1. Departments hiring caterers need to ensure that the caterer is permitted in their home county and should check the caterers last two health inspection reports. 
2. Proper procedures for food handling must be followed at all times. 

See the PFW Catering Policy for a list of commonly used campus caterers and approved alcohol beverage servers.

Personnel:

1. Hair restraints should be used by all individuals involved with food preparation, serving, or food handling.  Beards should also be restrained. 
2. Hands should be washed before starting food preparation and at any other time the hands are contaminated. 
3. Clean clothes should be worn by all food handling employees.
4. Individuals with any of the following: infected cuts or sores, colds, diarrhea, boils, communicable disease, etc., should not prepare or serve foods.

Storage:

All food items and/or food contact utensils such as single service plates, cups or silverware should be stored six inches above the ground or floor.

Food Preparation:

1. Food items should only be prepared in an approved food preparation area that can be inspected by a health agency.  This includes:
   1. University dormitory kitchens
   2. Fraternities/Sororities
   3. Cooperatives
   4. Schools
   5. Commercial Food Preparation Areas
2. Potentially hazardous foods are prohibited.  These include food items such as egg salads, ham salads, cream pies, custards, meat pies, and meringues.
3. Keep all food items in storage, preparation, and on display covered with a non-porous material such as plastic wrap, foil, waxed paper, or lids.
4. Proper facilities should be provided for maintaining foods at correct temperatures:  below 41° F for cold food, and above 140° F for hot food.
5. Hot plates, ice tables, thermoses, coolers, and crock pots may be used if they are properly constructed and maintained.

Miscellaneous:

1. Items that the patron must handle should be individually wrapped and arranged so that contamination from mishandling does not occur.
2. Straws, coffee stirrers, toothpicks and condiments should be individually wrapped when placed on display unless served by a food handler.
3. Locations for the temporary food service should have the facilities to meet the following criteria:  handwashing facilities, floors, ceilings (tents for outside events), insect and rodent free, and clean surroundings.
4. Proper trash disposal should be provided.
5. The menu and site location will be reviewed by the department of Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) for approval.
6. Any other requirement deemed necessary by the EHS department to protect public health shall be initiated by the temporary food service establishment.
7. Requirements are found in the Indiana State Department of Health Regulation 410 IAC 7-24.

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