For many Northern Kentucky families, eating at fairs and festivals is a tradition.
For many individuals and companies in Northern Kentucky, providing food to those events is a business—and one that definitely booms particularly in the warm weather months.
Between the two, the public and the operators, the Northern Kentucky Health Department has an important role: Ensuring that the food served at such events is done in a way that prevents the occurrence of food-borne illnesses.
In 2016, the Health Department inspected more than 1,000 temporary food establishments, with a large portion of those operating in the summer months.
Lynne Saddler
Not surprisingly, food-borne illnesses also rise in the summer months. When we leave the kitchen to prepare our food, we often leave some of the safety measures behind, including hand and dish washing facilities, and temperature controls. On top of that, we may be dealing with the elements of summer weather, like 90 degree sweltering heat and blistering sunshine.
Still, good food safety practices can be maintained. It just takes a bit of effort.
The first step for an operator is getting a permit. Event organizers and operators should know that temporary food permits are required from the Health Department anytime food is being sold or distributed to the public.
Fees for these permits are set by the state and range from $50 to $100, depending on the length of operation. If an organizer or operator has questions about whether a permit is required, contact the Health Department.
For members of the public, if you are attending an event and are unsure if a booth has a health permit, ask the person working to see a copy of the permit — it is required to be on display.
For organizers and operators who are applying for a food permit, advance planning is necessary. The Health Department now requires that temporary food permit applications and payments be submitted at least three business days prior to the event. This allows Health Department field inspectors to focus entirely on food safety at the event, without worrying about the administrative aspects of the permit process at the same time.
Finally, a temporary food inspection will be conducted to address issues such as hand washing facilities, ability to maintain proper food temperatures, and pest/animal control measures.
The vendor is only part of the equation, though—a customer’s actions can also help reduce your risk of food-borne illnesses, such as:
• Be sure to wash your hands often.
• Purchase food right before you’re ready to eat it, and buy what you plan to eat right away. That way, you will not have to worry about the storage or safety of leftovers.
If you have any questions about food at fairs, festivals and other events, contact the Health Department at 859-341-4151 or via our website at www.nkyhealth.org.
Food-borne illness is common—the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 6 Americans get sick from food-borne illness each year. But, as with many public health threats, food-borne illnesses are preventable. When operators, the Health Department and consumers work together to take steps to promote food safety, we protect health by reducing the likelihood of food-borne illnesses and we all help to ensure that memories of fairs and festivals are fond ones.
Dr. Lynn Saddler is head of the Northern Kentucky Health Department.
