Special Event Food Requirements
While Temporary Food Establishment is the term used in the “Rules Governing the Food Protection and
Sanitation of Food Establishments” (15A NCAC 18A .2600) for the purpose of this guide, the term
“concession” will be use in its place.
This guideline covers student organization fundraisers involving food service that are conducted in
conjunction with an official university event. Commercial food service activities on campus are covered
under the Food Service Contract.
Do I need to get a permit?
If your organization is a registered ECU Student organization and are taking part in campus wide student
activities event (Barefoot-on-the-Mall, etc.) you only need to register through ECU Environmental Health
& Safety to get approval for your activity during that event. You must also follow these guidelines for
food safety.
If you are an ECU registered organization sponsored by a not-for-profit, tax exempt (IRS 501c3, i.e.
Sorority) organization and you want to serve food other than at a university wide sponsored event, you
may register with ECU Environmental Health & Safety to get approval for your activity. You must first
provide a copy of your IRS 501c3 Tax Exemption. You must also follow these guidelines for food safety.
You may only prepare food for fundraising once per month.
If you are ECU registered student organization that is not an IRS 501c3 Tax Exempt organization, you
must obtain and meet all the requirements for a Temporary Food Establishment permit from Pitt County
Health Department and submit a copy to ECU Environmental Health & Safety prior to the fundraiser.
You may only conduct one fund raiser per month.
Student organizations or academic departments that wish to serve free food to only their invited
guests or as a private departmental function (graduation receptions, etc.) are encouraged to follow
these safe food guidelines but do not need to apply for a permit or register with EH&S.
Permits
If your University organization is not IRS 501c3 Tax Exempt or are you are non-university, you must be
permitted by Pitt County Division of Environmental Health and register through ECU Environmental
Health & Safety. You must meet all TFE requirements which may be different from the requirements
listed below.
Submit the completed Pitt County TFE Application and required fee no fewer than 15 calendar days prior
to the event. The application can be found at the following website. www.pittcountync.gov
You may also apply at Pitt Co. Health Dept., Division of Environmental Health (902-3206 or 1717 W. 5th
Street Greenville, NC 27834) and provide the following information:
(1) Name, mailing address, and telephone number of the permit holder of the temporary food
establishment or temporary food establishment commissary;
(2) Name and location of the most recent past event the temporary food establishment
operated prior to the current event;
(3) Name, mailing address, and telephone number of the event organizer;
(4) Event name, location, dates, and hours of operation;
(5) Proposed menu, food handling procedures, including anticipated food volume and sources;
(6) Food equipment list;
(7) Proposed water supply;
(8) Provisions for sewage and other waste disposal; and
(9) Any other information requested to ensure compliance.
Charcoal, Gas Grills and Open Fame Cooking
If you plan to cook your food over charcoal, gas grill or an open flame, you will need get permission from
the ECU Fire Safety Officer at 328-6166.
Health & Food Safety Procedures
Food Handling
Due to the risk of serious food borne illness, fish, seafood, shellfish and mollusks may not be prepared or
served by any concession on East Carolina University grounds or events.
All food must be from an FDA approved source like you get from a grocery store.
You must keep all raw and cooked meats and poultry, raw and cooked vegetables, cut fruit, milk, milk
products and egg products at 41oF or below or 140oF or above. Keep raw and cooked foods separate.
All poultry and meat you intend to cook or serve must be purchased in ready-to-cook portions (hotdogs,
pre-pattied burgers, link sausages, chicken pieces, etc.).
Salads must be prepared and packaged by a permitted food service establishment like KFC, Bojangles,
Food Lion, etc. and constantly maintained at or below 41o F until sold to the customer.
Keep all foods secure from the general public and under the control of the concession staff to prevent
tampering and contamination.
Except for sealed beverages, you cannot allow ready-to-eat foods to be stored in direct contact with ice.
All foods and supplies must be stored off the ground/floor to prevent contamination.
Food prepared at an event may not be served the following day or held for a later event.
Employees (volunteers)
All your employees (volunteers) need to wear hair restraints such as caps or hats, scarves, wear clean
outer clothing, and wash hands and don gloves before handling foods or utensils, or when they start a
different activity. Make sure your volunteers have trimmed fingernails and are not wearing hand
jewelry.
Do not allow your volunteers to use tobacco or eat in the concession operation. Drinks may be
consumed if the cups have a tight cover and they are kept from the food cooking, preparation and
storage areas.
Do not allow your volunteers to participate if they have experienced vomiting and/or diarrhea within
the last 48 hours or have flu like symptoms, are being treated for salmonella, shigella or Hepatitis A, or
display signs of jaundice or been diagnosed with jaundice, sore throat with fever, infected lesions, runny
nose or frequent cough.
Do not allow your volunteers to have bare hand contact with any ready-to-eat or foods that have been
cooked and are ready to serve. Poly Vinyl, plastic, or nitrile gloves may be used but latex gloves are not
permissible as some people have severe allergies to latex. Wax paper or clean sanitized tongs may be
used to handle ready-to-eat foods. It is highly recommended that there be no bare hand contact with
any foods.
Equipment and Utensils
Wherever possible, use store bought disposable plates, trays, bowls, eating utensils, aluminum pans,
etc. to keep food clean and make for an easy cleanup.
Grills, griddles, stoves, etc. must be commercially manufactured and use LPG or Propane gas as a fuel
source or electricity for cooking. Each site must have at least one five pound fire extinguisher available
and some trained on its use. Charcoal, wood, and other uncontrolled combustible fuel sources are
prohibited.
Where you allow your customers to pick up their plates, bowls, eating utensils, etc., present them the
bottom side up or with handles pointing up to prevent contamination from one customer to the next.
Buy and provide condiments in squeeze bottles or individually packages pouches.
Any reusable utensils and equipment must be store bought, smooth surfaced, easily cleanable, durable,
non-toxic and in good repair.
Reusable utensils must be cleaned just before the event and wrapped in plastic wrap or paper towels for
transport and storing before use.
Utensils should be used to contact only one food, I.E. cooking burgers, handling cooked burgers, serving
vegetables, etc. and should not be used on other foods unless washed, rinsed and sanitized according to
the instructions below.
Physical Requirements
Arrange your concession in such a manner to restrict public access to your preparation, cooking and
serving areas so as to protect food and equipment for public contact. This ensures the protection of
food and utensils from contamination.
If you have available, Food preparations and serving should be done with overhead protection such as a
tent or canopy, or have the food container wrapped in plastic wrap or foil. Note: open flame cooking is
not allowed within twenty feet of a tent or canopy. Canopies and tents are limited to 10 X 10 feet
square.
Cooked individually portioned foods such as hamburgers, hotdogs, kabobs, chicken wings, turkey legs,
etc. must be kept in a heat safe container such as a disposable aluminum tray and kept covered with foil
or plastic wrap between servings to protect the food from dust, dirt and insects.
You need to provide your volunteers with a hand wash station or hand sanitizing wipes. If a hand wash
station is used it should be equipped with flowing water, (gravity or pressure), soap and disposable
towels and a waste collection container.
You also need to make sure that adequate utilities and equipment are available to maintain food
temperature and sanitation. If you use electric equipment, make sure it is grounded. Make sure you
have enough fuel on hand to cook and maintain proper temperatures.
If water under pressure is required, it needs to be obtained from a university source. When a water
hose is used, the concession will use only hoses marked as certified for potable water.
All waste water will be captured and disposed of to a sanitary sewer collection drain like a bathroom or
housekeeping mop sink. Waste water must not be disposed of on the ground, to a storm drains, or to
waterways.
You must arrange for garbage and refuse collection and this can be arranged through Facilities Services
work order system or by calling 328-6116.
Toxic materials, (surface sanitizers, sanitizing wipes, insect spray, etc.) must be kept separate form foods
and food utensils. Use fans to repel flies and insects because pesticides are not allowed to be used
around food and food prep areas.
Utensil /Equipment Sanitizing Procedure
1. Arrange three separate basins side by side.
Fill each basin with warm water (above 110oF).
Add dish soap to the first basin.
Leave the second basin as clean clear water.
Add 1/4 ounce bleach for each gallon of water to the third basin.
Wash utensils and equipment in the soapy water, then rinse in the clean water, then soak for 30
seconds in the bleach water (third basin)
7. Finally, allow them to air dry on a clean protected surface. Do not towel dry.
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Contact EH&S at 328-6166 if you have questions concerning these instructions.