Food Safety Program

To ensure the public does not become ill from a food event on campus, a Temporary Food Facility Permit is required to operate a temporary food facility at Cal Poly Pomona. This means any student or non-student operators selling or giving away food at public events on campus must apply for a Temporary Food Facility permit. Internal office potlucks and invitation only events are generally excluded from these requirements because they are considered private.

• See Temporary Food Facilities for permit application instructions and details.

Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) routinely inspects and permits all permanent food service facilities on Cal Poly Pomona’s property to ensure they maintain the highest standards of safe food handling and cleanliness. At a minimum, all facilities must comply with the California Retail Food Code (CalCode).

Food service employees receive training and must pass an exam demonstrating their knowledge of food handling sanitation before being permitted to work.

We evaluate food service establishments by conducting one to three inspections annually, depending the complexity of the establishment’s menu. As needed, we conduct follow-up re-inspections to address issues found in the initial inspection. Following each inspection, we review the results with the food establishment’s management and provide guidance for making corrections and improvements.

Our role as inspector is not simply to identify problems and suggest corrections. We collaborate with the University’s food service providers to implement food-safety best practices and improve operating efficiency.

Temporary Food Facility (TFF) permit applications must be submitted ten business days before the event date, or your event will not be approved. No exceptions. This allows Environmental Health and Safety adequate time to review the application and make any necessary adjustments and modifications.

The California Health and Safety Code Section 114381.2 states that if you are operating a food facility at a community/school event you are defined as a Temporary Food Facility (TFF). All food vendors in this category are required to apply, meet requirements, and obtain a TFF permit prior to selling or giving away food at an event. 

The Legislature finds and declares that the public health interest requires that there be statewide health and sanitation standards for food facilities to assure the people of this state, that the food provided to consumers is safe, unadulterated and honestly presented through adoption of science based standards. Regulations can be found in the California Retail Food Code (Cal Code).

No, there is currently no fee for a TFF permit for Cal Poly Pomona affiliated groups.

No. Private parties, club and department meetings, etc. intended only for members of an organization and/or their invited guests do not require a Temporary Food Facility (TFF) permit. If the event is advertised to the campus/public; however, then a permit is required.

No. Food intended for public consumption may not be prepared in a home. All food must be obtained from approved sources. Note: A valid Cottage Food Operation is considered a food facility and may sell food as a vendor but must still obtain a TFF authorization.

Yes. A TFF permit application is still required. However, you will not be required to have a fully enclosed canopy/booth, just overhead protection/canopy.

Prepackaged Food are any food that is given away or sold while it is still in its original packaging from the manufacturer. Examples include cans of soda, wrapped candy, and packaged snacks like potato chips. Whole and uncut produce is also considered prepackaged food.

All food sales, meetings, gatherings, etc. need to be entered into 25Live (collegenet.com). In 25Live, you can select from the specific places on campus that are reservable. Note: Additional information for planning an event can be found on the Bronco Leadership Center's website.

The State Fire Marshal (SFM) may have additional requirements regarding the use of cooking equipment and the set-up or construction of a food booth and may require a SFM permit.

Any outdoor setup that includes tents, shade sails, the usage of multiple tents or a single which sums up to 400 square feet or more, and stages require an SFM permit.

All outdoor event set up may be subject to additional State Fire Marshal review depending on the type of event and estimated attendance for the event. The agency having jurisdiction over campus is the Office of the State Fire Marshal not local agencies.

This is an additional permit that may be issued with the Special Events Permit at the discretion of Facilities Planning & Management Department and the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

In this process, you must list the name of the company or vendor you are working with in 25Live.

Requires supporting documents from vendors

• Valid Flame-Resistant Certifications (tent/shade sails)

• Valid Structural Engineering Certification from California (tents over 400 square ft and stages)

• If a SFM permit needs to be issued, your event will be subjected to inspection by the State Fire Marshal during your event set up or the day of the event.

Timeline

• Submit an Event Support Form, Layout and Additional Supporting Documents at least one (1) month prior to your event date.

• If the required documents are not submitted in time, your event will need to be postponed or find other accommodations.

Yes, if you are preparing (ex. slicing, chopping, cutting, mixing, etc.), sampling, storing, or serving non-prepackaged food or beverage items. The booth must:

• Be large enough to accommodate all activities involved to provide safe handling, preparation, storage, and service of the food and beverages (ex. smoothies).
• Have pass-through windows that do not exceed 216 square inches. Pass through-windows and doors must be equipped with tight-fitting flaps or closures.

Yes, EH&S has two fully enclosed canopies and one sink to rent out. Please contact ehs@cpp.edu to see if the items are available on the date you want and to make the reservation.

The CPP student group is responsible for picking up and dropping off the items at the EH&S office (Building 81A) on the same day during the business hours of 8:00am-5:00pm Monday-Friday (excluding holidays).