What is considered limited food preparation?

See the following, an excerpt from the definition of limited food preparation, per California Retail Food Code section 113818:

  1. Limited food preparation means food preparation that is restricted to one or more of the following:
    1. Doing the following to non-prepackaged food:
      1. Baking
      2. Blending
      3. Frying
      4. Popping
      5. Roasting
      6. Shaving of ice
      7. Steaming or boiling of hot dogs
      8. Heating
    2. Dispensing and portioning of non-potentially hazardous food
    3. Slicing and chopping of food on a heated cooking surface during the cooking process
    4. Cooking and seasoning to order
    5. Preparing beverages that are for immediate service, in response to an individual consumer order, to do not contain frozen milk products
  2. Limited food preparation does not include any of the following:
    1. Slicing and chopping unless it is on the heated cooking surface
    2. Thawing
    3. Cooling of cooked, potentially hazardous food
    4. Grinding raw ingredients or potentially hazardous food
    5. Reheating of potentially hazardous foods for hot holding, except for steamed or boiled hot dogs and tamales in the original, inedible wrapper
    6. Hot holding of non-prepackaged, potentially hazardous food, except for roasting corn on the cob, steamed or boiled hot dogs, and tamales in the original inedible wrapper
    7. Washing of foods
    8. Cooking of potentially hazardous foods for later use

Show All Answers

1. What exactly is a Mobile Food Facility?
2. Can I operate my MFF wherever I want?
3. Do I have to put anything besides the name of my business on the side of my MFF?
4. What is the California Housing and Community Development, and why do I need their approval?
5. What does the Housing and Community Development insignia look like?
6. I bought my Food Truck used and I can’t find an insignia on it. How can I find out if it has passed inspection in the past?
7. My vehicle has never been issued the Housing and Community Development insignia, who do I contact to schedule an inspection?
8. What is a commissary and why do I need one?
9. What is considered limited food preparation?
10. I want to open a hot dog cart and serve brats and other specialty sausages. Can I do this?
11. Am I allowed to use my custom built BBQ in conjunction with my MFF?
12. Am I allowed to set up a pop-up tent or a table to make fresh squeezed lemonade?
13. I’ve been asked to come to the local brewery/winery on Friday evenings. Is this considered a Community Event?
14. Do I have to fill out the Restroom Verification Form?