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Environmental Health & Safety

Sanitarian's Office

Food Event Requirements for Events on University of Rochester Owned Facilities & Properties

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NOTE:
Any student group or organization involved with planning a food event, should first contact and work through their advisor.
Employees/students using their own personal funds for their own food purposes are excluded from the requirements listed below.

Please review the food event definitions below as this will determine the requirements to hold your event.

A catered food event is one where food is served to a pre-determined number of people & where food is generally served at one point in time to the entire group. Event planning is driven by the number of anticipated guests, & payment is contingent upon a guaranteed number of guests. Fast food pick up (pizza, subs for a small group or department of University employees does not fit the definition of catering.

A temporary food event is one where food is served to an open-ended number of participants over a period of time. Event planning is driven by the desired hours of operation & the estimated number of attendees. Payment is contingent upon the number of people served. Having a food booth or table, where no specific invitation is given, & where people can stop and receive food or drink, is one example of a temporary food event. A Baked Goods Event is also considered a type of temporary food event; however, it has its own set of specific requirements.

We highly encourage the use of Internal University Food Operations & University Approved Caterers, as they have shown to meet all University requirements. The list is available through the UR Sanitarian's Office website www.safety.rochester.edu/sanit/catering.html. Additional information is available at the Food Events page - www.safety.rochester.edu/sanit/foodevents.html

 

EVENT TYPE

 

REQUIREMENTS

Individual Department Staff Functions

  • Proper food safety practices must be followed.  The Sanitarian’s Office is available for advice. Please review the Sanitarian’s Office website http://www.safety.rochester.edu/sanit/ for food safety tips
  • The use of Internal University Food Operations & University Approved Caterers is highly encouraged.
  • Food/food ingredients must be purchased from a commercial buiness with a valid food permit or license.
  • The Senior Sanitarian of EH&S, at his discretion, may not permit functions to take place, where an imminent health risk is judged to exist.
  • Studen organizations are NOT permitted to hold potlucks.

Catering functions with less than 50 attendees involving only UR employees with minimal on-site food preparation (you may not bake, grill, or cook from scratch on-site).

  • Proper food safety practices must be followed.  The Sanitarian’s Office is available for advice. Please review the Sanitarian’s Office website http://www.safety.rochester.edu/sanit for food safety tips
  • The use of Internal University Food Operations & University Approved Caterers is highly encouraged.
  • Food must be prepared and purchased from a commercial buiness with a valid food permit or license.

Catering functions less than 50 attendees with:

  • general public in attendance, and/or
  • involving on-site food preparation and/or
  • serving alcohol.

Catering functions with 50 or more attendees

  • The use of Internal University Food Operations or a University Approved Caterer is required. Refer to the Approved Caterers List - www.safety.rochester.edu/sanit/catering.html (A waiver form is available through this same website for caterers which are not on the approved list. Waivers are granted only for very limited types of events or circumstances.)
  • Caterer must be on site for the duration of the event and cannot drop off food.
  • Student organizations are NOT permitted to hold potlucks.

Temporary Food Event (see definition above).

  • Temporary Food/Baked Goods Event Request Form must be filled out 14 calendar days prior to your event and sent to Sanitarian’s Office for approval.
  • Operator or food vendor may be required to obtain a Temporary Food Event Permit from the Sanitarian’s Office or Monroe County Health Department. Permit/fee may be required (exception: Internal University Food Operations do not need an additional permit from the Monroe County Health Department).
  • Follow all Food Event Guidelines.

Baked Goods Event

Cheese Pizza
Pepperoni Pizza

  • May be given away at UR Community events provided proper food safety practices are followed (you may not re-sell pizza). Please visit the Sanitarian’s Office website -  http://www.safety.rochester.edu/sanit/pizzaexception.html for specific criteria for events serving pizza.
  • Must be purchased from a commercial business with a valid Monroe County Health Department permit. Strongly recommend pizza be delivered by the vendor.
  • If the event is open to the general public, or if you are serving another type of pizza, you must fill out Temporary Food/Baked Goods Event Request Form 10 calendar days prior to your event and sent to Sanitarian’s Office for approval. Permit/fee may be required.


QUESTIONS or COMMENTS?
Contact EH&S at (585) 275-3241 or e-mail EH&S Questions.

This page last updated 10/28/2019.