Mobile Food Units
Mobile food units make up a diverse and thriving industry that Oregon is nationally known for. Oregon Health Authority (OHA) supports their growth statewide. The agency is unique in that it does not automatically require a unit to have a commissary – a licensed kitchen where dishes can be washed, food is prepared in advance, and food and equipment are stored – if operators
can show their units can be self-sufficient. Operators must, however, keep everything “integral” to the unit and operate within the capacity of the unit.
The new rules for mobile food units, or food carts, were established February 1, 2020, so counties statewide could strengthen enforcement and protect the public. Operators were given three years to comply, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, OHA and local public health agencies continue to be supportive and are ready to work with operators on compliance schedules to give them more time.
**Mobile units that are not in compliance with these new rules will be allowed to continue operating as long as they are actively working on a solution with their Local Public Health Authority**
Mobile Food Unit Rule Changes - February 1, 2020
The Foodborne Illness Prevention Program has adopted new rules relating to mobile food units (food trucks and food carts) and temporary restaurants. The new rules went into effect on February 1, 2020. The new rules were developed by a workgroup consisting of industry, interested parties and local health department members and update the standards for mobile food units, which have not been subject to a major revision since 1997. A summary of the rule changes is available in English and Spanish, but are not the only changes to the mobile food unit standards.
OHA Press Release - January 24, 2023 - Mobile unit compliance deadline prompts new interest in rules
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