Food Safety at Special Events and Farmers' Markets

Food safety requirements

Special event and farmers' market coordinators, along with food vendors, are responsible for ensuring food safety. Proper storage, handling and preparation help reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

While general food safety principles apply to both, there are specific rules for special events and farmers' markets. Coordinators and vendors should be aware of these differences.

• Food safety requirements for special events

  All special events must follow Ontario Regulation 493/17 - Food Premises.

  All food and drinks served or sold at special events must:

  • Contain ingredients that come from approved / inspected sources
  • Be transported to the event in a way that protects the food from contamination and at safe temperatures
  • Be prepared in an inspected food premises before the event or prepared on-site at the event. Food cannot be prepared at a vendor's home unless the home kitchen is routinely inspected by a public health inspector

  Refer to the general set-up requirements for food booths / concessions at special events and farmers' markets.

• Food safety requirements for farmers' markets

  Farmers' markets are locations where most vendors are farmers or producers selling their own farm products. For example, foods grown or produced on their farm.

  According to the Ontario Public Health Standards Food Safety Protocol, all farmers' markets in Niagara are reviewed at least once a year to determine their classification. Year-round farmers' markets will be reviewed twice a year.

  True (exempt) farmers' markets: At least 51 per cent of market vendors are farmers, growers or producers

  • Vendors at true farmers' markets are exempt from the requirements of Ontario Regulation 493/17 - Food Premises. However, foods must be prepared and stored safely so they don't become a source of foodborne illness.
  • Vendors can prepare lower-risk food items at home if they follow food safety principles. These are foods that are less likely to cause foodborne illness. Higher-risk foods must always be prepared in inspected facilities.

  Community (non-exempt) markets: Less than 51 per cent of market vendors are farmers, growers or producers

  • Vendors at community markets must follow all requirements of Ontario Regulation 493/17 - Food Premises
  • Vendors must prepare all foods in inspected facilities

  Farmers' market classification can change from year to year (or mid-year for year-round markets). A change in market classification may affect the ability of vendors to participate.

  All food and drinks served or sold at farmers' markets must:

  • Contain ingredients that come from approved / inspected sources
  • Be prepared in a location approved by Public Health:
  • Potentially hazardous foods must always be prepared in an inspected food premises or on-site at the farmers' market. Potentially hazardous foods can support food pathogen growth and need temperature control. This includes cold-holding or hot-holding.
  • For community markets (non-exempt markets), no advance food preparation can occur at a vendor's home unless the home kitchen is routinely inspected by a public health inspector.
  • Refer to the general set-up requirements for food booths / concessions at special events and farmers' markets

Public health inspectors may inspect food vendor booths at special events and farmers' markets. If they find any immediate food safety risks, enforcement action may be needed.

Special event and farmers' market coordinators and food vendors must be familiar with the general set-up requirements for food vendor booths / concessions at these events and markets.

Set-up requirements for food vendors

• Booth / concession set-up
  • Temporary food preparation areas should be set up on proper flooring like wood or pavement. If outdoors, rinse the flooring with clean water and let it dry before setting up the food preparation area.
  • Use a ground cover / barrier such as plywood or linoleum if setting up a temporary food preparation area on grass, gravel, sand or soil
  • A tent or canopy is required over all food preparation areas except for barbecues and deep fryers
  • Store all food off the ground and keep it covered to protect it from contamination
• Potable water and hand wash station
  • A potable water source must be available at each booth / concession for the entire event or market day
  • Food-grade hoses must be used to access or connect to the potable water source
  • If using a private water supply like a well or cistern, the water must be tested at least once a year and have satisfactory results
  • Mobile food premises (for example, food carts, trailers or trucks) must have separate holding tanks for potable water and wastewater. Each tank must have gauges to show the fill level.
  • A handwash sink or temporary handwashing station must be available at each booth / concession and be set up before food handling and preparation
  • The handwashing sink / station must have liquid soap in a dispenser and paper towels and be accessible by all food handlers
  • Fill a camping jug, coffee urn or similar container with warm potable water. It must have a spigot that allows the water to flow without having to hold the spigot (hands-free).
  • A bucket or other container must be used to collect the wastewater. The wastewater must be disposed of in a sanitary manner in an approved location.
• General food safety requirements
  • Foods served or sold to the public must come from approved sources:
  • In most cases, foods must be from inspected facilities. There are few exceptions for low-risk foods and drinks served or sold at some farmers' markets.
  • Potentially hazardous foods must always be prepared or processed in inspected facilities and have the proper stamps, tags or labels where required. Inspection documentation must be available on-site for a public health inspector to view if asked.
  • All prepackaged foods must have a label with the manufacturer's name, address, phone number and date of preparation. For information about food labeling requirements, call the Canadian Food Inspection Agency at 1-800-442-2342.
  • Refer to food safety requirements for more details
  • All foods must be stored off the ground and kept covered to protect them from contamination
  • All raw meats, poultry, fish / seafood and eggs must be stored below and away from cooked and ready-to-eat foods
  • Limit the number of items served or sold and the preparation steps to reduce the likelihood of errors and risk of foodborne illness
  • Single-use or disposable dishes and cutlery must be used to serve food to the public
• Temperature control
  • Potentially hazardous foods can support food pathogen growth and need temperature control. This includes cold-holding or hot-holding.
  • They must be kept out of the temperature danger zone of 4-60 C (40-140 F), as this range promotes food pathogen growth that can cause foodborne illness
  • Potentially hazardous foods that need to be kept cold must stay at or below 4 C (40 F)
  • Potentially hazardous foods that need to be kept hot must stay at or above 60 C (140 F)
  • Safe temperatures must be maintained during transport
  • Cold potentially hazardous foods must be transported at or below 4 C (40 F) using mechanical refrigeration or coolers with ice and / or ice packs
  • Hot potentially hazardous foods must be transported at or above 60 C (140 F) using specially-insulated hot-holding boxes
  • Foods must be kept at safe temperatures throughout the entire event or market day
  • Cold potentially hazardous foods must be kept at or below 4 C (40 F). Mechanical refrigeration is typically needed for extended periods. Units must be at 4 C (40 F) before food is placed inside, as refrigeration may take time to cool. Coolers with ice and / or ice packs are not enough for long events.
  • Hot potentially hazardous foods must stay at or above 60 C (140 F) after cooking. This can be done using equipment like barbecues, chafing dishes, hot plates, specially insulated hot-holding boxes, stove-tops and / or table-top hot-holding units. If reheating is needed, it must be done quickly and reach the original cooking temperature. Some hot-holding units are not designed to reheat food, so additional equipment like a microwave may be needed.
  • Thermometers must be present inside all cold-holding units
  • A probe thermometer must be used to check the internal temperature of potentially hazardous foods
• Food samples
  • Alcohol-based hand rub (hand sanitizer) should be available near food sample stations for customer use
  • Food samples must be protected from contamination. They must be kept covered and served in individual portions, like with tongs, paper cups, toothpicks or squeeze bottles. Customers are not permitted to reach or double-dip into large bowls of product.
  • Samples of potentially hazardous foods must be kept at safe temperatures:
  • Cold samples must be stored at 4 C (40 F) or lower until served
  • Hot samples must be stored at 60 C (140 F) or higher until served
• Food handler certification
  • A certified food handler must be on-site at every special event booth / concession where food handling is taking place. It is also recommended (but not required) to be on-site at each farmers' market booth / concession where food handling is taking place.
  • Each certified food handler must have their food handler certificate and photo identification with them at the booth / concession
• Food handler hygiene
  • Food handlers must not work if they are sick
  • Food handlers must wear clean clothes and use hair restraints such as hats or hairnets
  • Food handlers must wash their hands with soap and water before food handling and at any point when contamination happens, such as:
  • After handling raw meats, poultry, fish / seafood or eggs
  • After handling dirty dishes or cleaning and sanitizing surfaces
  • After coughing or sneezing
  • After handling money
  • After using a cell phone
  • After returning from break
  • After using the washroom
  • Gloves and alcohol-based hand sanitizer are not substitutes for proper handwashing
  • Smoking is not permitted in or around food booths / concessions
• Cleaning and sanitizing surfaces and utensils
  • An approved sanitizer must be available at each booth / concession at all times for use on surfaces and for sanitizing clean utensils
  • Approved sanitizers include:
  • 100 ppm chlorine solution (mix half a teaspoon of bleach in one litre of water)
  • 200 ppm quaternary ammonium compounds solution
  • 25 ppm iodine solution
  • Sanitizer test strips must be used to check the sanitizer concentration. Replace the sanitizer when the concentration is too low.
  • Surface sanitizer must be stored in a spray bottle or bucket and applied with paper towels or reusable cloths. If using cloths, they must be stored in a sanitizer bucket to prevent them from becoming a source of contamination. Change cloths and sanitizer buckets as needed to keep them sanitary.
  • Clean utensils must be transported to the booth / concession in covered containers
  • Set up a two-compartment utensil wash station for when immediate cleaning and sanitizing is needed on-site:
  • Fill one large container with potable water and soap for washing dishes
  • Fill another large container with an approved sanitizing solution for sanitizing cleaned dishes. The container must be large enough to fully immerse the largest utensil. Utensils must stay in the sanitizing solution for at least 45 seconds.
  • Dirty utensils and equipment not cleaned and sanitized on-site must be stored in covered containers and taken back to an inspected food premises
• Non-event / market days
  • Food must be stored in a way that protects it from contamination and keeps it at safe temperatures

Public Health

Special Events and Fa...

• Special Events Set-Up Guidance
• Special Occasion Permits
• Personal Service Settings Events