There are approximately four million cases of food-borne illness in Canada every year and the effects could result in lasting disabilities or even death and litigation.

Section 16(2) of the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA) requires that every person who intends to commence to operate a food premise shall give notice of the person’s intention to the Medical Officer of Health or the Health Unit is which the food premise will be located.

All person(s) and/or organizations planning to sell or give food away to the public must notify (using Notification of Food Premises Opening Form) the proposed activity to the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine
Ridge District Health Unit (HKPR), Environmental Health Department at least 14 days prior to the scheduled date of the activity.

The provided information will be reviewed by the Public Health Inspector to ensure that:

1. Someone with knowledge of safe food preparations is in charge.
2. Food safety procedures are being practiced.

Under the Health Protection and Promotion Act in the Province of Ontario, it is the duty of every Medical Officer of Health to inspect or cause the inspection of any food premises and any food and equipment thereon or therein.

Every person who operates a food premise shall maintain and operate the food premises in accordance with the Regulations.

Exemptions:
Food premises owned, operated or leased by religious organizations, service clubs, and/or fraternal organizations are exempt from Ontario Regulation 493 where they:

• Prepare and serve meals for special events.
• Conduct bake sales.

However, when these groups prepare and serve meals for a special event to which the general public is invited, and hazardous food that originates from an uninspected food premise is served, it is required that:

1. A notice shall be posted in a conspicuous location at the entrance to the food premise at which the special event meal is held advising public whether or not the food premise has been inspected.
2. The operator must keep a list of all persons who donate hazardous food to the special event meal and must provide that
   list to a public health inspector upon request. The list must contain donor’s name, address and telephone number in full.

A public health inspector under HPPA may seize food when, in his or her opinion upon reasonable and probable grounds, that the condition of the food is a health hazard and he/she may destroy or dispose of the
food or cause it to be destroyed or disposed of.

As these events are usually staged outside, all of the amenities are not readily available. It is important that the intent of the Regulations be upheld to prevent participants from acquiring a food borne illness.

If you are planning to operate a fair, festival or other similar event for a short period (mostly lasting three days or less) within the HKPR area these guidelines are to be followed.

The Event Organizing Committee is to assure that all food vendors planning to participate obtain a copy of this guidance document and the Special Events Vendor Application.

It is the responsibility of the organization/associations to have in place a person with sufficient skills and training to oversee the food preparation for the event. This person could be known as the Food Safety coordinator for the event. The role of this person is to ensure that safe food handling procedures are in place.

The Food Safety Coordinator is to report any complaints of food borne illness to the Health Unit upon notification.

Premise Guidelines

If indoors, ensure that the location where the event is to take place is in compliance with fire, police, municipal, and Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) or other applicable laws and requirements. Obtain this information from the premise owner or manager along with confirmation that the proper authorities have inspected the building.

• The maximum capacity of the premises may be posted under AGCO or fire requirements and may not be exceeded during the event.

Those personnel involved in the preparation and serving of all food shall:

• Not use tobacco while so engaged;
• Wear headgear that confines the hair.
• Wear clean outer garments;
• Wash hands before returning to work after each use of a sanitary facility or at any other time when possibly contaminating the hands, such as handling garbage, and especially after handling raw foods, and before serving cooked foods.

Separate facilities for hand washing consisting of the following equipment are to be set-up in a location convenient for food handlers, near public washrooms and adjacent to animal exhibit(s): (e.g. petting zoos)

• Water in a jug, with a spout/spigot (min 5 gallons), set-up above a bucket
• Liquid soap in a pump dispenser & paper towels
• Instant hand sanitizer and/or moist hand towelettes 

• Avoid cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods by keeping utensils and equipment used for preparing raw food away from the handling and service area from cooked food. Wash hands after handling raw foods, before serving cooked foods.
• Keep all foods protected from contamination such as dust, dirt, flies, and insects, sneezing, coughing, and touching by customers.
• All cold hazardous foods shall be stored at 4oC(40oF) or less either under mechanical refrigeration or coolers with ice. Food shall not be stored in open boxes at room temperature. Provide accurate indicating thermometers and keep records of temperatures.
• Provide adequate garbage containers and washroom facilities at your event.
• Number of utensils on site (4 sets per day changed every 2 hours).

Hazardous Foods
Hazardous foods are the focus of a food safety program. These foods support the growth of disease causing organisms (pathogens). Some of these foods are poultry, meat fish, gravy, rice, mixed salads, dairy products and cream-filled desserts.

Critical Control Points
Critical control points are stages in food preparation where proper food handling can reduce or eliminate pathogens or other contaminates.

Danger Zone
The danger zone is the temperature between 4^oC (40^oF) and 60^oC (140^oF). Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

Below are import Critical Control Points (CCP’s) to monitor with Hazardous Food.

Product Flow Source:

• Use Pasteurized dairy products.
• Buy meat and poultry federally and provincially inspected establishments.
• Do not use cracked eggs.
• Do not use spoiled food.

Storage

• Keep food at 4 C (40 F) or colder (keep all foods covered in storage).
• Store frozen food at a frozen state.
• Separate raw and cooked food.
• Store cooked food above raw food.
• Store all foods min 6 inches or 15 cm above floor.
• Date and label stored food.

Thawing

• In a refrigerator unit at 4 C (40 F) or colder.
• Under cold running potable water.
• In a microwave oven, only when the food will be cooked immediately.

Food Preparation

• Do not allow food to remain in the danger zone (4 -60^oC) for more than a total of 2 hours.
• Wash hands frequently, especially after using the washroom, after handling raw food and before handling ready-to-eat food.
• Wash and sanitize all surfaces, which food has touched, between each use.

Minimum Internal Food Cooking Temperature

Cook the meat items for at least 15 second at following temperatures:

• Whole poultry and poultry stuffing at 82 C (180 F)
• Cook poultry products, ground poultry to 74 C (165 F)
• Cook pork to 71 C (160 F)
• Cook ground meats, other than ground poultry to 71 C (160 F) or hotter
• Cook fish to 70 C (158 F)
• Cook all other hazardous foods to 74 C (165 F)

Hot Holding

• Hold hot foods at 60 C (140 F) or hotter
• Hold cold food at 4 C (40 F) or colder
• Reheat cooked food quickly to 74C (165 F) or hotter before serving (cook only what is required and avoid leftovers).

On the day of a special event, all food vendors should ensure they have the following:

• Food probe thermometer(s) available to check the internal temperature of hot and cold hazardous foods
• Cold hazardous foods must be transported, stored and displayed at a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius or less.
• Thermometers for each cooler/refrigerator
• Hot hazardous foods must be transported, stored and displayed at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius or greater
• Platforms for elevating food and paper goods 15cm off the ground
• Clean container(s) for food storage
• Roll of plastic wrap or aluminum foil for protecting food
• Serving spoons, spatulas, tongs, etc. – wrapped backup supply of utensils (4 sets)
• Adequate number of tables with washable surfaces
• Wiping cloths/sponges for cleaning and sanitizing preparation and service areas
• Adequate supply of potable water in a clean water container(s) with a spigot for hand
  washing, food preparation and equipment cleaning (5 gallon pail)
• Leak-proof containers/tanks for the storage of wastewater
• Ice containers and ice scoop
• Detergent, bleach and bucket
• Liquid soap in a dispenser and paper towels for hand washing
• Clean clothes and aprons must be worn at all times in the preparation area
• Hairnets, caps, or other hair restraints must be worn at all times while handling food
• No eating, drinking/smoking allowed in any food preparation area
• Adequate supply of large plastic garbage bags
• Power source/backup supply e.g. generator, propane burner, etc.