.......5
Temperature Control ..................................6
Food Protection ..........................................8
Handwashing ..............................................9
Employee Practices ..................................10
Cleaning and Sanitizing ............................11
Event Essentials ........................................12
Vendor Checklist ....................Middle Insert
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
After reviewing your application and menu, the area
Sanitarian will determine your risk category and equip-
ment needs to ensure food safety requirements are met.
This booklet contains important information about those
requirements. A checklist has been provided (see middle
insert) to help you prepare for the event.
You will receive a licensure inspection prior to the event
opening. You may not sell food or beverages until you
pass your inspection and receive a permit to operate. The
permit must be displayed in view of the public
RISK CATEGORIES
The DuPage County Health Department uses a risk cate-
gory system to determine the requirements and fees for
temporary food service operations. The risk categories
are based on the type of menu items served and the
amount of food preparation being done on site. The three
risk categories are listed below.
Risk Category 1: In this type of operation, there is little
or no handling of food during preparation or service.
Examples include selling frozen pre-packaged foods,
mixing beverages, dipping ice cream or roasting corn.
Risk Category 2: These are food operations that do
limited preparation of potentially hazardous foods.
Potentially hazardous foods are perishable foods that
require temperature control such as meat, poultry, fish
eggs or dairy products. Examples include cooking hot
dogs and hamburgers. This category also includes
operations that do extensive handling of non-potentially
hazardous foods such as mixing and frying dough or
cutting and breading vegetables on site.
RISK CA
TEGO
R
IES
2
INTRO
DU
C
TIO
N
INTRODUCTION
This booklet contains the information you need to know in order
to safely serve food to the public at a temporary event.
A temporary food service permit must be obtained from the
Dupage County Health Department before any person or group
can serve food or beverages at a public event. The only excep-
tions are farmers selling whole fruits & vegetables they have
grown or vendors who offer packaged beverages or food that is
not perishable and has been obtained from a commercial, regu-
lated source. The sale or distribution of food that was made in a
private home or unlicensed business is not allowed.
A permit application, permit fee and any other requested infor-
mation must be received by our Department no later than 10
days prior to the event start date (see helpful hints). A late fee
will be assessed to process applications received after this
deadline. We only accept checks from vendors who operate a
permitted food service facility within Dupage County. All other
applicants must pay with cash, money order or cashier's check.
Cash or check payments will not be accepted at the event site.
Contact the area Sanitarian to obtain a permit application pack-
age and a current permit fee schedule.
Organizations that have Illinois Not for Profit status or are feder-
ally recognized charitable organizations that are using the event
as a fundraising activity are exempt from temporary permit fees.
Fee-exempt organizations must still obtain a permit and comply
with all requirements.
Application package forms to be completed:
Permit application
Menu and procedure review form
Vendor booth layout form
Helpful Hints 5
VENDOR BOOTH LAYOUT
Complete the vendor booth layout form to show the
location of the equipment you are planning to use. (Refer
to application package.)
Food service booths should be located on hard surfaces
that are not subject to wet conditions. If the booth is set
up on grass, provisions for covering the ground must be
made (see helpful hints). Booths must also be located 50
feet or more from livestock, garbage areas, toilet facilities
and petting zoos.
Booths must have overhead covers, such as tents or
canopies, to protect food from poor weather conditions.
Physical barriers such as counters or tables must be
used to separate the food service area from the cus-
tomers.
Grilling should take place outside the booth, and provi-
sions should be made to protect the public from hot
equipment.
VE
N
D
O
R
BOO
TH LA
YO
UT
4
MENU IN
FO
RMA
TION
Risk Category 3: In this type of operation, potentially
hazardous menu items require extensive on-site preparation
or assembly involving several steps. Examples include
cooking, carving and holding roast meats or assembling
and baking pizzas on site.
MENU INFORMATION
Food Sources
All food must be obtained from commercial sources,
such as local stores, distributors or restaurants. Home-
prepared food is prohibited.
Conduct food preparation at a restaurant that is licensed
and inspected by a public health department. A copy of the
food facility inspection report is required for sources outside
of DuPage County. Keep the amount of on-site food
preparation to a minimum. Leftovers must be discarded
at the end of the day.
Menu and Procedure Review
To help us better understand your food operation and en-
sure that food safety is a priority, an explanation of how
each menu item is prepared will need to be completed.
This information is to be submitted with the
application and vendor booth layout form. (Refer to
application package.)
Ground cover options:
Roll roofing or tar paper
Indoor/outdoor carpeting
Rubber mats
Helpful Hints MENU INFORMA
TION / BOOTH LA
YOUT
6
TEMPERA
TURE CONTROL
FOOD VENDOR CHECKLIST
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
Food Transportation
During transportation, required food temperatures
must be maintained. Hot food must arrive at the event at
140°F or hotter. Cold food must arrive at 41° F or colder.
Use insulated containers that will keep the food protected
and at required temperatures.
Cold Food
Commercial refrigeration or freezers must be provided to
maintain the required temperature of 41° F or colder for
all potentially hazardous foods. Coolers with glass doors
may not be used for storage of potentially hazardous
foods. Insulated coolers may be allowed for short-term
storage (4 hrs. or less) provided that mechanical refriger-
ation is also available (see helpful hints).
All refrigeration units are subject to the approval of the
Health Department.
Thawing
If frozen foods need to be thawed, use one of the tech-
niques listed below:
In advance, at an approved facility
As part of the cooking process
In the refrigerator
Food should never be thawed at outside temperatures.
Cold storage options:
Freezers
Refrigerated trucks
Dry ice as a supplement
Helpful Hints
For your convenience, DuPage County Health
Department has compiled the following food safety
checklist. This checklist provides a quick reminder of the
items and procedures necessary to operate a temporary
food booth.
Feel free to detach this section and keep it in your booth
for quick reference.
If you have any questions on the checklist items, contact
your area Sanitarian or call (630) 682-7979 ext. 7046.
www.dupagehealth.org/safefood Dispensers for condiments (i.e., pre-packaged,
squeeze bottles or hinged lid containers).
Handwashing facilities with paper towels and
liquid hand soap (i.e., a camp sink or a container
with a tap and a bucket to catch the wastewater).
Clean clothes and hair covering (i.e., cap, visor
or bandana) for employees.
Wash, rinse and sanitize containers that are large
enough to hold soiled utensils.
Cleaning supplies (i.e., dish soap, sanitizer, sani-
tizer test strips, brooms, trash bags and garbage
cans with lids).
Wiping cloths and extra buckets, fans, containers
for used cooking oil and charcoal, extension cords,
fire extinguishers and first aid kits.
FOOD VEN
DOR CHECKLIST
FOOD VEN
DOR CHECKLIST
Temporary Food Vendor Checklist
Did you remember?
To complete your application and submit fee to
the DuPage County Health Department 10 days
prior to the event.
To determine your electrical needs. Verify with
the event organizer that your booth will have
the necessary power available.
Transportation equipment for hot and cold foods.
Mechanical hot holding equipment (i.e., no heat
lamps or crockpots).
Mechanical cold holding commercial refrigeration or
freezers (ie., no household refrigerators).
Probe and equipment thermometers for checking
food and equipment temperatures.
Flooring and overhead cover, if not provided by
the organizer.
Dunnage racks or pallets to store all food and
paper goods off the ground.
Additional clean, wrapped cooking utensils. 7
Cooking
Foods must be cooked to the following required tempera-
tures prior to serving.
Fish/Seafood145° F
Beef/Steaks145° F
Pork155° F
Ground Beef155° F
Poultry165° F
Pre-cooked foods165° F
Meat and poultry must be thoroughly cooked to be safe.
Do not serve any undercooked foods. Always check the
final cooking temperature by using a food thermometer.
Hot Food
Food must be held in hot holding units at temperatures of
140° F or hotter after cooking (see helpful hints). Chafing
dishes that use liquid fuel must be protected from the
wind.
TEMPERA
TURE CONTROL
FOOD VEN
DOR CHECKLIST
Hot holding options:
Steam tables
Grills
Ovens
Heated cabinets
Ho