Food Service Sanitation

Environmental Health Services' Food Protection Program is responsible for ensuring that a program is in place to prevent diseases associated with improper food handling.  The goal of the program is to promote food safety through education, routine counseling and assessment of the 835 fixed food and approximately 800 temporary food services operating in Elkhart County. 

In Elkhart County all food service facilities, regardless of type, are regulated under the State Food Rule 410 IAC 7-24, and the Elkhart County Food Service Ordinance 2005-322. These documents outline the minimum food safety requirements for each of the various types of food establishments that operate in the county.  All licensed facilities in Elkhart County are required to have electronic or paper copies of these documents on hand in the facility at all times.

As of January 1, 2005 most food service establishments in Indiana are required to have at least one certified food handler on staff.  Any facility that must have a certified person is also required to have a copy of the state Certification of Food Handler Requirements 410 IAC 7-22 on hand in the facility.  Click here to visit the Indiana State Department of Health certification information page to download the rule and find training and exam providers.

Plan Review Requirements

Written plans must be submitted for review before constructing a new food service or remodeling an existing food service.  You can print a Plan Review Packet that contains a step-by-step checklist to help prepare your plans and a Plan Review Application to begin the plan review process.

Mobile Food Services

"Mobile retail food establishment" means a retail food establishment that is: wheeled; on skids; mounted on a vehicle; a marine vessel; or otherwise readily movable; such as a pushcart or trailer. A mobile food service must have a commissary that it returns to daily for servicing (Sections 16 and 55 of 410 IAC 7-24).

Click here to read the Elkhart County Health Department Mobile Food Service Minimum Requirements.

Temporary Food Services

"Temporary food establishment" means a retail food establishment that operates for a period of no more than fourteen (14) consecutive days in conjunction with a single event or celebration with the approval of the organizers of the event or celebration (State Food Rule 410 IAC 7-24 Sec 98).  Any person wishing to operate a temporary food establishment must provide the Health Department 30 days notice of intent to operate as required by Sec 107c of the State Food Rule.

Click here to read the Elkhart County Health Department Temporary Food Service Guidelines.

Temporary Event Coordinators can click here to download the Coordinator's Application.

Not-for-Profit (NFP) Organizations

NFP organizations that operate temporary food services for less than 30 days per year for the benefit of the organization are exempt from state licensing and inspection requirements.  However, NFP organizations must register each event with the Health Department and provide proof of NFP status.

Click this link to view the NFP Registration Form.  You may print this form and mail or fax it to our office.  The completed form must be received BEFORE the event takes place.

Home Based Vendors

In May 2009 the Indiana legislators passed House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1309.  This new Act excludes Home Based Vendors (HBV) from the definition of Retail Food Service Establishment and exempts them from the regulations of retail food establishments such as registration, licensing, and health inspections.  HEA 1309 allows for the production and sale of certain foods that do not present an appreciable public health risk but does not allow the production and sale of foods that may create a public health risk, also called "potentially hazardous foods" ( PHFs). Foods made by home based vendors can be sold from roadside stands and farmers' markets. Click here for the Home Based Vendor Brochure. Much more information is available at Purdue University's Food Science Website: http://www.ag.purdue.edu/foodsci/Pages/IN-HEA-1309-info.aspx

FOOD SERVICE LICENSE APPLICATION

Click on the link above to download a license application form.

 

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