Mobile Food Management in California, USA

Abstract

         There are 3 types of mobile food businesses in California, USA. Type 1 is moving continuously, Type 2 parks in one place only, and Type 3 goes to various venues. Before leaving for service or after the service, each food truck must park at the main station called the ‘Commissary’, and there is inspected at least twice a year.

          The duty of food inspectors is to assess the condition and sanitation of food trucks on a regular basis. They use the California Retail Food Code and Mobile Food Facility Guideline to evaluate the sanitation and condition of the food truck to generate a Mobile Food Official Inspection report and issue a letter grade according to the inspection score received. Grades are determined by inspection report points. Grade A is 100-90, Grade B is 89-80, and Grade C is 79-70. A red-colored sticker is applied to indicate to the public that a cleanliness check has been completed, and a green-colored sticker means the truck’s equipment has been checked and passed.

           There are three groups of indicators on the Mobile Food Facility Official Inspection Report used by inspectors. The most important is the critical risk factor group which includes food hygiene items which pose the greatest threat to the public health and must be corrected immediately. There are 24 items in this indicator group. Second, is the good retail practices group which includes preventive measures that can reduce food-borne illness, also with 24 items. Third, is the compliance and enforcement group, consisting of 4 items.

            Mobile food facilities have different inspection frequencies according to the characteristics of the food sold. Those facilities with high-risk food must be inspected at least twice a year, while those of the low-risk food type are inspected only once a year. In addition to food inspections, an equipment check of each food truck must be passed once a year.