OPERATING A MOBILE FOOD UNIT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON

"OPERATING A MOBILE FOOD UNIT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON 

WHAT IS A MOBILE FOOD UNIT?

 Mobile food Unit shall mean a food service establishment that is vehicle-mounted or wheeled and is capable of being readily moveable. 

MOBILE FOOD UNIT CLASSIFICATIONS:

Restricted = individual servings packaged food, non-TCS (time and temperature control for safety) beverages dispensed from protected equipment; packaged TCS milk/milk products; prepackaged individual servings frozen dessert products. Examples: Ice cream trucks, tricycles, push carts, trucks, carts, fixed location/park vendor units.

Unrestricted = prepares/serves open foods on the unit , water systems for handwashing and equipment cleaning, plumbing installed on unit, must report to an approved commissary to fill/drain/flush water tank. Examples: Trailers, buses, trucks, corn roasters, carts, fixed location/park vendor units. 

STARTING YOUR MOBILE FOOD UNIT 

Before you build a mobile food unit yourself, hire a custom builder, remodel, or make a purchase, contact the Bureau of Consumer Health Services, Mobile Food Unit Program at 832-393-5100. 

You or the builder will need to know the requirements for your particular mobile food unit type and intended menu. Having this knowledge will save you money.

Contacts: 

Renee L. Beckham, RS – Chief Sanitarian – Mobile Food Unit Program Renee.beckham@houstontx.gov 

Larry Goodman, RS – Sanitarian III Supervisor – Mobile Food Unit Program Larry.goodman@houstontx.gov 

Link: www.HoustonConsumer.org 

Telephone: 832-393-5100 Fax: 832-393-5208"

This information was taken from a public page provided by https://www.houstontx.gov/

Full page can be found here