Short answer: Clean hands, clean surfaces, cold food and proof of where it came from. Your local health department sets the rules, so call them before your first market.
Every market day
Hands. Set up a handwashing station with soap, paper towels, running water and a trash can. Hand sanitizer does not replace washing.
Surfaces. Clean and sanitize food-contact surfaces and tools at least every 4 hours, more often if they get dirty.
Sanitizer. Use a product labeled for food-contact surfaces and follow the label. Keep matching test strips and test the solution when it looks dirty. For a bleach solution, 100 to 150 ppm at pH 6.5 to 7 is common (about 0.8 to 1.2 fl oz of regular bleach per gallon). Check your product label.
Labels. Label every spray bottle or bucket that is not in its original container.
Off the ground. Keep all food, boxes and supplies at least 6 inches off the floor or ground.
Cover it. Protect displays from weather, birds and pests. Use packaging or guards for anything ready to eat.
Cold and checked. Hold cold items at 41°F or below. Keep a calibrated probe thermometer and alcohol wipes on board.
Paperwork to carry
Receipts or invoices for all food, water and ice. Inspectors may ask.
Ice and water from an approved source only.
A plan for wastewater and trash at every stop.
Your permit and your last inspection.
Before your first market
Call the local health department. Ask what permit you need, whether selling whole produce only changes the rules, and whether they want a written SOP. Rules differ by county and state.
Sources: Massachusetts DPH, SOPs for mobile food establishments · Rutgers On-Farm Food Safety fact sheets · FDA Food Code
