Food Policy for Student Run Event
The Department of Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) has adopted the following policy to ensure that basic food sanitation requirements and practices are incorporated into temporary food service locations on campus whether the food be for sale or gratis. All club and class officers are required to take food safety training for their club class to be permitted to handle and/or sell food products on campus.
When foods are served by organized University student groups for special events, a food permit is required. The application for a food permit to sell/serve food on campus below must be completed at least 10-days in advance of the event. The permit must be displayed at the sale or serving site. Violation of this process will result in your event being shut down.
It is necessary that all food products be prepared, held and handled in as safe and sanitary manner as possible. Due to pandemic requirements, at this time all food must be purchased from a business with a commercial kitchen (i.e. food cannot be prepared on campus or at home). For more information regarding pandemic requirements, please review the Fall 2021 Fall Institutional Requirements. (in Lebanon or Pomona) must be pre-cooked (e.g., hot dogs, lunchmeat, etc.) or frozen meat patties prior to cooking.
- Student CLUBS must reserve a location at least 10-days before the event using the event reservation form. For CLASS EVENTS, work with your COLLEGE'S student affairs professional chair to reserve a space.
- Baked Good Baked goods must be individually wrapped in food grade plastic or foil.
- Serving utensils must be available.
- Acceptable bake sale items that do not require refrigeration/cooling include (but are not limited to) cookies, muffins, donuts, fudge, fruit pies, cake, breads, candy and similar items.
- Bake sale-related items that must be properly cooled include (but are not limited to) milk-based beverages, cream filled foods, meringues, home canned foods, whipped cream, cream cheese, pumpkin pie, cheese cake, custards and similar items.
General Sanitary Requirements
- Food must be purchased and not homemade.
- It is recommended that food be in single-serving, wrapped containers. If serving, servers must use food-grade gloves AND a mask worn properly.
- Provide mechanical refrigeration or adequate freeze-packs or ice in an impervious cooler with a drain to keep potentially hazardous foods at or below 41 degrees F. when served cold.
- Provide a method to keep potentially hazardous foods at 140 F. or higher when being displayed for hot serving.
- Once food has been prepared for serving, it can only be served for four (4) hours and then must be discarded.
- Provide treated moist towelettes or alcohol based hand sanitizer for food workers and patrons to clean hands as needed if running water, soap, and single use towels are not immediately available.
- Have on hand extra, previously cleaned and sanitized serving utensils if suitable dishwashing facilities are not immediately available.
- Store all foods, utensils, etc., at least six (6) inches off the floor or ground.
- Avoid handling of foods with bare hands to prevent cross contamination.
- All foods must be purchased from an licensed source such as a retail market or other commercial food distributor - no home-canned foods, no home-butchered meats, etc.
- Pre-prepared potentially hazardous foods must be cooked in a licensed food service operation (e.g., restaurant, deli, or bakery.
- Keep foods covered to prevent air-borne or insect contamination.
- Do not dump any wastes on the ground other than normal, clean drainage from ice chests.
- Clean up area after the event.
Violations of this policy
Student Clubs and SGA Classes found in violation of this policy will be:
- Asked to immediately cease the sale/service of the food products by Environmental Health & Safety, University Security or USA.
- Given a formal warning of the violation.
- If a repeat violation occurs, the student club will NOT be permitted to sell/serve foods of any kind for ninety (90) days.
NOTE: This policy shall not apply to licensed Food Service Operations on campus (e.g., Outtakes) which, in the course of routine business operations may provide delivery service of their products.