LA County Public Health - Environmental Health

This program is responsible for the inspection of various types of Mobile Food Facilities (MFF) including Mobile Food Preparation Units (MFPU), Hot Dog Carts, and Limited Food Vehicles. The Vehicle Inspection Program conducts annual certification inspections, routine graded inspections and complaint inspections of MFFs as well as routine and complaint inspections at the commissaries that service these MFFs.

DEFINITIONS

Mobile Food Facility (MFF) - any vehicle used in conjunction with a commissary or other permanent food facility upon which food is sold or distributed at retail
Mobile Food Preparation Unit (MFPU) - a fully enclosed mobile food facility in which full food preparation occurs
Limited Food Preparation
1. food preparation that is restricted to one or more of the following:
  1. Heating, frying, baking, roasting, popping, shaving of ice, blending, steaming or boiling of hot dogs, or assembly of non-prepackaged food
  2. Dispensing and portioning of non-potentially hazardous food
  3. Holding, portioning, and dispensing of any foods that are prepared for satellite food service by the onsite permanent food facility or prepackaged by another approved source
  4. Slicing and chopping of food on a heated cooking surface during the cooking process
  5. Cooking and seasoning to order
  6. Preparing beverages that are for immediate service, in response to an individual consumer order, that do not contain frozen milk products
2. "Limited food preparation" does not include any of the following:
  1. Slicing and chopping unless it is on the heated cooking surface
  2. Thawing
  3. Cooling of cooked, potentially hazardous food
  4. Grinding raw ingredients or potentially hazardous food
  5. Reheating of potentially hazardous foods for hot holding, except for steamed or boiled hot dogs and tamales in the original, inedible wrapper
  6. Hot holding of non-prepackaged, potentially hazardous food, except for roasting corn on the cob roasting corn on the cob, steamed or boiled hot dogs, and tamales in the original, inedible wrapper
  7. Washing of foods
  8. Cooking of potentially hazardous foods for later use
Mobile Support Unit (MSU) refers to a vehicle, used in conjunction with a commissary, that travels to, and services mobile food facilities as needed to replenish supplies, including food and potable water, clean the interior of the unit, or dispose of liquid or solid wastes
Commissary - a food facility in which food, equipment, and/or supplies are stored or handled, food is prepared or prepackaged for sale or service at other locations, utensils are cleaned, liquid or solid wastes are disposed of, and potable water is obtained for used in MFFs
Mobile Food Facility Route Sheet - Provides information to the Vehicle Inspection Program (VIP) as to the location and times of individual Mobile Food Facility operation. Failure to notify VIP of any changes may result in the suspension or revocation of your Public Health Permit to operate as a Mobile Food Facility.
County code 8.04.403 Route location, requires the owner/operator of a mobile food facility or mobile support unit shall complete a Mobile Food Facility Route Sheet, obtained from the county health officer, listing the complete address, telephone number and arrival/departure times of each location where the retail food business is being conducted.
- Mobile Food Facility Route Sheet
- Establecimiento Móviles de Alimentos - Hoja de Ruta

RESPONSIBILITIES AND SERVICES:

Conduct inspections of MFFs and commissaries to ensure compliance with structural requirements and approved food handling as mandated by the California Retail Food Code (CAL CODE)
Investigate citizen complaints regarding all MFFs and commissaries
Review plans for new MFFs and commissaries, and issue final approval prior to commencing operation

VEHICLE CLASSIFICATIONS

Mobile Food Facilities

Mobile Food Preparation Units
Soft Serve Vehicles
Prepackaged Ice Cream Vehicles
Produce Vehicles
Retail Fish Vehicles
Retail Bakery Vehicles
Industrial Catering/Cold Trucks
Independent Wholesale Delivery Vehicle
Limited Food Preparation Vehicles
Food Service Carts
- Hot Dog Carts
- Espresso/cappuccino Carts
- Popcorn Carts
- Churro/pretzel carts
- Prepackaged food carts
Mobile Support Units
MFFs associated with Satellite Food Distribution Facilities

Vehicle Inspection Program
5050 Commerce Drive
Baldwin Park, CA. 91706

Phone: (626) 430-5500
Fax: (626) 813-3021

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