Temporary food events are required to comply with National Park Service (NPS) Public Health Guidelines (NPS-83). This checklist is meant to highlight the most important provisions relevant to temporary food events and to provide guidance consistent with existing NPS public health policy. Temporary food events need to comply with all items on this checklist and the USPHS/FDA Food Code.

Food

• Certified Food Safety Manager (recommended no more than 3 years since training) on duty at all times.
• Menu limited to approved items list.
• Source – All food items are from an approved source.
• Source - food items prepared off-site are prepared in a pre-approved licensed establishment (copy of current license , inspection report and establishment agreement submitted with application).
• If required, HACCP temperature logs maintained on potentially hazardous foods prepared offsite.
• Cold food packed <41°F.
• Temperature of cold foods maintained during transport.
• Hot food packed >140°F.
• Temperature of hot foods maintained during transport.
• Food stored in new food bags not in garbage bags.
• Raw meats stored so that they will not contaminate other foods.
• Toxic materials are stored separately from foods.
• Cold food maintained at <41°F while being held onsite.
• Hot food maintained at >140°F while being held onsite.

Employees

• Healthy; no illnesses or infection symptoms such as:
  • (a) diarrhea,
  • (b) fever,
  • (c) vomiting,
  • (d) jaundice,
  • (e) sore throat with fever, or
  • (f) open cuts or sores on the hands or wrists.
• Employees thoroughly wash hands with soap and water before working, after breaks and after using bathroom, and any other time their hands become contaminated.
• Employees are wearing clean clothes.

Equipment

• Food containers cleaned and sanitized after each use.
• Sufficient refrigeration or drained ice to maintain cold temperatures <41°F.
• Sufficient hot holding devices to maintain hot temperatures >140°F.
• Cooking equipment to heat food to 165°F.
• Approved clean food thermometers are available and used frequently for measuring food temperatures during cooking and holding.
• Approved refrigeration thermometer for each cold holding unit.
• Handwashing facilities - Insulated container with spigot, warm water and catch basin.
• Three compartment sink or equivalent for dishwashing.
• Counter protection (sneeze guards) if food is to be held on counter for serving.
• Tables, stands, pallets or other devices to keep all food, utensils, single service, equipment, food prep and other operations off the ground or pavement.
• Clean and sanitized water containers to transport water to food booth.
• Wiping cloth sanitizer containers.
• Sufficient utensils, disposable gloves for food prep and dispensing.
• Sufficient garbage storage containers for food prep.

Supplies

• Sufficient supply of sanitary disposable towels.
• Sufficient supply of handsoap.
• Sufficient dishwashing soap.
• Sufficient chemical sanitizer (chlorine, quat or iodophor).
• Sufficient supply of sanitizer test strips for selected sanitizer.
• Sufficient fuel for cooking and hot holding.
• Sufficient ice if needed for cold holding.
• Extra plastic wrap and/or foil to cover food containers during holding.
• Wiping cloths are stored in a 50-100 PPM chlorine solution (1 capful of household bleach per gallon of water) or in another approved sanitizer (quat or iodophor.
• Sanitizing water is changed when it becomes dirty.
• Wiping cloths are either discarded or washed when soiled.

If you have any questions, please contact a Regional Public Health Consultant, park sanitarian or call WASO Public Health for more information at 202-513-7226.

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