At state fairs, stadiums and movie theaters, concession stands are used to serve foods such as corn dogs, pizza and cotton candy. The Indiana State Department of Health classifies a concession trailer as a food establishment, because it is a vehicle of transportation otherwise used for handling food. There are rules and regulations that regulate concession trailers in Indiana.
In Indiana, a food handler is defined as an owner, manager or employee of a food establishment who is responsible for storing, preparing, displaying or serving food to the public. At least one person per concession stand or trailer must meet the requirements to be a certified food handler. A certification document is awarded to a food handler who passes an exam administered by an accredited institution. Only exams provided by an entity recognized by the Conference for Food Protection are acknowledged and considered accredited. Certification is good for 5 years, after which re-certification is required. According to the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals, exam categories include, but are not restricted to, pest prevention, personal hygiene and contamination prevention.
Regulations regarding the sanitation requirements for concession stands and other retail food establishments are also set by the Indiana State Department of Health. According to the state, any place where food is served must be in good repair and in a sanitary condition. If your concession stand is mobile, it must be transported to a commissary and/or servicing area for supplies and cleaning at least once a day. Also, if the stand is mobile, single-service articles, such as condiments, must be provided to the customer, and the unit must have a potable water system with the capacity to furnish enough hot and cold water needed for food preparation and sanitation needs.
Rules even exist for concession stands that serve white bread or rolls. Rolls include hamburger and hot dog buns and do not include sweet buns, such as cinnamon rolls. White bread includes Vienna, French and Italian bread. One regulation is that a state health commissioner or representative may enter your concession stand to inspect it at anytime, if you transport any of the above items. This is also the case if products, such as hot dog buns, are being sold from your concession trailer. This is done to make sure the storage and labeling requirements are up to standard.
