Division of Environmental Health Food Safety and Sanitation Program

Operating Temporary Food Service

Booth Construction

Temporary food service booths must be set up to protect food from dirt, dust, and other contaminants. Review the following guidelines:

• Construct countertops and food preparation surfaces with non-absorbent, easily cleanable materials
• Construct walls and ceilings of materials that are cleanable and kept clean
• Construct walls and ceilings in a way that restricts access and protects the interior from weather and dirt
• Have the appropriate flooring
• For permits one to three days in length: Flooring may consist of grass, gravel graded to drain, sawdust, or a similar material if dust and mud are controlled
• For permits lasting four to 21 days in length: Floors must be constructed of concrete, asphalt, tight-fitting wood, or another cleanable material
• Determine how food will be kept safe from insects and other pests

Operator Training

If a permit is for four days or longer, the operator is required to have an Alaska Food Worker Card or be a Certified Food Protection Manager.

Hygiene and Handwashing

Staff hygiene, including handwashing, is important to prevent foodborne illness.

Sick Staff May Not Work

The operator must not permit any staff to work while sick.

Toilets

Toilet facilities must be available at the event. Facilities may be supplied by portable toilets, privies, or a restroom in a neighboring building. Handwashing must be available with the restroom facilities.

Handwashing

Handwashing facilities must be available for staff of temporary food service operations. These facilities need to have running water, dispensed soap, paper towels, and a waste basket.

Food workers must wash their hands after touching their face or hair, when changing tasks, after handling raw meats, between glove changes, and anytime hands may have been contaminated.

If plumbing is not available, a handwash station may be set up. Visit the Building a Handwashing Station webpage to learn how to set up a temporary handwash station that meets the requirements of the Alaska Food Code.

Sources of Food Ingredients

Every ingredient in foods served under a temporary food service permit must be from an approved source.

Approved sources of food ingredients are operations that are permitted or certified by the federal, state, or local government agency with jurisdiction. Examples of approved sources include:

• Permitted grocery stores and markets
• Permittted seafood processors
• Facilities that process meat, poultry, and/or game under United States Department of Agriculture mandatory or voluntary inspections

Cottage food is not an approved source. If cottage foods are also sold by the operation, they must be appropriately labeled and displayed separately from the food served under the temporary food service permit.

Food Preparation

No Bare Hand Contact with Ready-To-Eat Foods

Bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods is prohibited. All ready-to-eat food must prepared without bare hand contact by wearing gloves and/or using tongs or other utensils.

A ready-to-eat food is any product that is ready for the consumer to eat and it will not go through any additional cooking or processing for food safety. Therefore, the food will be consumed in its current form and must not be contaminated with bare hand contact. Examples of ready-to-eat foods include:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables that will not be cooked
• Bread, toast, rolls, and baked goods
• Salads and salad ingredients
• Cold meats and sandwiches
• Garnishes for plates and drinks (e.g., lettuce, parsley, lemon wedges, etc.)

Approved Kitchens

All food served under a temporary food service permit must be prepared on-site at the temporary food service booth or at an approved kitchen. An operator may also choose to prepare food items at an approved kitchen and on-site at the booth, using a combination of the two locations for food preparation.

An approved kitchen is a facility that has previously been approved by the Department of Environmental Conservation or is able to be approved by the Department according to the requirements below. An approved kitchen:

• Is not in a private residence;
• Has running water;
• Has appropriate dishwashing and handwashing facilities; and
• Can be inspected, if needed.

If an approved kitchen is used, the operator must submit a signed agreement as part of the permit application to confirm their use of the kitchen. The signed agreement must:

• Specify the food that will be prepared at the approved kitchen;
• List the dates and times the food will be prepared;
• Confirm that the kitchen has adequate equipment and utensils for the type and volume of food and methods of preparation; and
• Be signed by the owner or operator of the approved kitchen.

An agreement form can be accessed here: Approved Kitchen Letter of Agreement

Proper Temperatures for Food Products

Potentially hazardous foods must be kept:

• Cold at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below; or
• Hot at 135 degrees Fahrenheit or above.

Do not hold potentially hazardous foods at temperatures between 41 degrees Fahrenheit and 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures in that range allow for the rapid growth of bacteria that can make people sick.

Visit the Temperature Controls webpage for information about proper food temperatures during the processes below:

• Receiving
• Thawing
• Cooking
• Cooling
• Hot-holding
• Cold-holding
• Reheating

Unless prior approval is given, temporary food service operations may not cool and reuse potentially hazardous food after it has been cooked and hot-held.

Food Service

No Bare Hand Contact with Ready-To-Eat Foods

Bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods is prohibited. A ready-to-eat food is any product that is ready for the consumer to eat and it will not go through any additional cooking or processing for food safety.

The food will be consumed in its current form and must not be contaminated with bare hand contact. Food service operations must ensure staff wear gloves and/or use tongs and other utensils so that ready-to-eat foods are not touched by bare hands.

Single-Use Items for Consumers

Temporary food service operations may only provide single-use items to consumers. Items provided to consumers must be not be reused. Examples of single-use items include:

• Paper plates
• Styrofoam bowls
• Plastic utensils
• Paper napkins
• Plastic cups and straws

Water and Wastewater

A temporary food establishment must be able to provide clean water for handwashing, cooking, and cleaning. All water must come from an approved source. Water must be transported in containers that are approved for use by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), FDA, or an organization that is equivalent. The containers must be clean, used for no other purpose, and protected from contamination.

The operator of a food establishment must make sure that wastewater from the facility is discarded into a public sewer or a wastewater disposal system built and operated as required by 18 AAC 72.

Dishwashing and Sanitation

Dishwashing

A three-compartment sink or a commercial dishwasher must be used to wash, rinse, and sanitize all equipment and utensils.

To use a three-compartment sink:

1. Wash equipment and utensils with soapy hot water in one compartment
2. Rinse with hot water in the next compartment
3. Immerse in sanitizer in the final compartment
   • Sanitizer can be made using one teaspoon of household bleach for every one gallon of water
   • Use test strips that are made for the sanitizer you are using
4. Air dry

If a three compartment-sink or commercial dishwasher with plumbing is not available, the operator may choose to use three basins that are each deep enough for the full immersion of utensils and equipment. There will additionally need to be a means to heat water to wash, rinse, and sanitize utensils that will be reused throughout the event. All utensils must be washed, rinsed, sanitized and air dried.

Sanitation

A sanitizer bucket or spray bottle must be available to sanitize food contact surfaces. If a bucket and wiping cloths are used, store the cloths in the sanitizer when they are not in use. If a spray bottle is used, use paper towels to wipe down the surfaces.

Sanitizer can be made using one teaspoon of household bleach for every one gallon of water. There are also other approved sanitizers. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions to make sure it is approved for use on food contact surfaces and is mixed to the proper concentration. Check the concentration with the appropriate test strips; incorrect concentrations of sanitizer can be dangerous.

Garbage Storage and Disposal

The operator of a temporary food service must provide sufficient containers inside or next to the temporary food service for garbage storage and disposal while the unit is operating. Containers must be easily cleanable and be covered.

Basic Supplies Checklist

Booth Construction

• Countertops and food preparation surfaces: Non-absorbent, easily cleanable materials
• Walls and ceilings: Materials that are cleanable and kept clean
• Appropriate flooring for the length of the event
• Method to keep food safe from insects and other pests

Operator Training

• Alaska Food Worker Card or Certified Food Protection Manager Certificate, if applicable

Hygiene and Handwashing

• Policy for not permitting sick staff to work
• Appropriate toilet facilities
• Appropriate handwashing facilities

Sources of Food Ingredients

• All food ingredients are from an approved source
• No cottage food ingredients

Food Preparation

• No barehand contact: Gloves, tongs, other utensils to handle ready-to-eat food
• Approved Kitchen Agreement, if applicable
• Food thermometers
• Equipment for thawing, cooking, cooling, hot-holding, cold-holding (if applicable)

Food Service

• No barehand contact: Gloves, tongs, other utensils to handle ready-to-eat food
• Container for storing single-use items
• Single-use items for customers, including items such as:
  • Paper plates
  • Styrofoam bowls
  • Plastic utensils
  • Paper napkins
  • Plastic cups and straws

Water and Wastewater

• Clean water from an approved source for handwashing, cooking, and cleaning
• Appropriate containers for water transport, if applicable
• Appropriate method for disposal of wastewater

Dishwashing and Sanitation

• Clean water from an approved source
• A three-compartment sink or a commercial dishwasher, if applicable
  • If not available, three basins that are each deep enough for the full immersion of utensils and equipment
  • A method to heat water
• Method for air drying utensils, if applicable
• Bucket or spray bottle for sanitizer, if applicable
• Wiping cloths or paper towels, if applicable
• Sanitizer

Garbage Storage and Disposal

• Container(s) that are covered and easily cleanable

Regulatory References

• 18 AAC 31 Alaska Food Code
• 18 AAC 31.600 Temporary Food Service
• 18 AAC 31.012 Alaska Food Code Exemptions
• 18 AAC 72 Wastewater Treatment and Disposal

Resources and Contacts