Title HSC, California Health & Safety Code

“Food bank” means a surplus food collection and distribution system operated and established to assist in bringing donated food to nonprofit charitable organizations and individuals for the purposes of reducing hunger and supplying nutritional needs. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23…

“Food compartment” means an enclosed space, including, but not limited to, an air pot, blender, bulk dispensing system, covered chafing dish, and covered ice bin, with all of the following characteristics: (a) The space is defined by a physical barrier from the outside environmen…

“Food-contact surface” means either of the following: (a) A surface of equipment or a utensil with which food normally comes into contact. (b) A surface of equipment or a utensil from which food may drain, drip, or splash into a food or onto a surface normally in contact with foo…

“Food employee” means an employee working with food, food equipment or utensils, or food-contact surfaces. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

(a) “Food facility” means an operation that stores, prepares, packages, serves, vends, or otherwise provides food for human consumption at the retail level, including, but not limited to, the following: (1) An operation where food is consumed on or off the premises, regardless of…

(a) “Food handler” means an individual who is involved in the preparation, storage, or service of food in a food facility, as defined in subdivision (b), other than an individual holding a valid food safety certificate issued pursuant to Section 113947.3 or an individual involved…

“Food preparation” means packaging, processing, assembling, portioning, or any operation that changes the form, flavor, or consistency of food, but does not include trimming of produce. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by S…

“Food safety program” means any city, county, or city and county program that requires, at a minimum, either of the following: (a) The training of one or more individuals, whether denominated as “owners,” “managers,” “handlers,” or otherwise, relating in any manner to food safety…

“Food handler program” means any city, county, or city and county program that requires that all or a substantial portion of the employees of a food facility who are involved in the preparation, storage, service, or handling of food products, engage in an approved food safety tra…

“Fresh frozen” means that the food was quickly frozen while still fresh, including immediately after the food had been harvested or fish had been caught. (Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 615, Sec. 5. (AB 226) Effective January 1, 2016.)

“Frozen food” means a food maintained at a temperature at which all moisture therein is in a solid state. (Added by Stats. 2009, Ch. 571, Sec. 8. (SB 241) Effective October 11, 2009.)

(a) “Game animal” means an animal, the products of which are food, that is not classified as cattle, sheep, swine, goat, horse, mule, or other equine in Part 301 of Title 9 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as poultry in Part 381 of Title 9 of the Code of Federal Regulations, o…

“Gleaner” means a person who legally gathers remnants of an agricultural crop or harvests part of, or all of, an agricultural crop made available by the owner of the agricultural crop. (Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 580, Sec. 4. (AB 1990) Effective January 1, 2015.)

“Grade A standards” means the requirements of the United States Public Health Service/FDA “Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance” and “Grade A Condensed and Dry Milk Ordinance” with which certain fluid and dry milk and milk products comply. (Repealed and added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23…

“HACCP” means a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point. (Repealed and added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

“HACCP plan” means a written document that complies with the requirements of Section 114419.1 and that delineates the formal procedures for following the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point principles developed by the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for…

“Hazard” means a biological, chemical, or physical property that may cause an unacceptable public health risk. (Repealed and added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

“Hearing officer” means a local health officer, a director of environmental health, or his or her designee. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

“Hermetically sealed container” means a container that is designed and intended to be secure against the entry of micro-organisms and, in the case of low acid canned foods, to maintain the commercial sterility of its contents after processing. (Repealed and added by Stats. 2006, …

“Highly susceptible population” means a group of persons who are more likely than other people in the general population to experience foodborne disease because both of the following conditions exist: (a) The group is comprised of immunocompromised persons, preschool age children…

“Host facility” means a facility located in a brewery, winery, commercial building, or another location as approved by the local enforcement agency, that meets applicable requirements to support a catering operation that provides food directly to individual consumers for a limite…

“Hot dog” means a whole, cured, cooked sausage that is skinless or stuffed in a casing, that may be known as a frankfurter, frank, furter, wiener, red hot, vienna, bologna, garlic bologna, or knockwurst, and that may be served in a bun or roll. (Added by Stats. 2013, Ch. 556, Sec…

“Imminent health hazard” means a significant threat or danger to health that is considered to exist when there is evidence sufficient to show that a product, practice, circumstance, or event creates a situation that can cause food infection, food intoxication, disease transmissio…

“Impound” means the legal control exercised by the enforcement officer over the use, sale, disposal, or removal of any food, equipment, or utensils. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

“Injected” means manipulating meat to which a solution has been introduced into its interior by processes that are referred to as “injecting,” “pinning,” or “stitch pumping.” (Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 195, Sec. 2. (SB 1067) Effective January 1, 2017.)

“Juice” means the aqueous liquid expressed or extracted from one or more fruits or vegetables, purees of the edible portions of one or more fruits or vegetables, or any concentrates of such liquid or puree. “Juice” includes juice as a beverage, an ingredient of a beverage, and a …

“Law” means applicable local, state, and federal statutes, regulations, and ordinances. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

(a) “Limited food preparation” means food preparation that is restricted to one or more of the following: (1) Heating, frying, baking, roasting, popping, shaving of ice, blending, steaming or boiling of hot dogs, or assembly of nonprepackaged food. (2) Dispensing and portioning o…

(a) “Limited service charitable feeding operation” means an operation for food service to a consumer solely for providing charity, that is conducted by a nonprofit charitable organization operating pursuant to Chapter 10.6 (commencing with Section 114333), and whose food service …

“Linens” means fabric items such as cloth hampers, cloth napkins, tablecloths, wiping cloths, and work garments, including cloth gloves. (Repealed and added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

(a) “Major food allergen” means all of the following: (1) Milk. (2) Eggs. (3) Fish, including, but not limited to, bass, flounder, and cod. (4) Crustacean shellfish, including, but not limited to, crab, lobster, and shrimp. (5) Tree nuts, including, but not limited to, almonds, p…

“Major violation” means a violation of this part that may pose an imminent health hazard and warrants immediate closure or other corrective action. (Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 571, Sec. 11. (SB 241) Effective October 11, 2009.)

“Meat” means the flesh of animals used as food, including the dressed flesh of cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and other edible animals, except fish, poultry, and wild game animals specified in subdivision (a) of Section 114031. (Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 195, Sec. 5. (SB 1067) Ef…

“Menu change” means a modification of a food facility’s menu that would require a change in the food facility’s food preparation methods, storage equipment, or storage capacity previously approved by the local enforcement agency. These changes may include, but are not limited to,…

(a) “Microenterprise home kitchen operation” means a food facility that is operated by a resident in a private home where food is stored, handled, and prepared for, and may be served to, consumers, and that meets all of the following requirements: (1) The operation has no more th…

“Minor violation” means a violation of this part that does not pose an imminent health hazard, but does warrant correction. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

(a) “Mobile food facility” means any vehicle used in conjunction with a commissary or other permanent food facility upon which food is sold or distributed at retail. “Mobile food facility” does not include a “transporter” used to transport packaged food from a food facility, or o…

“Mobile support unit” means a vehicle used in conjunction with a commissary or other permanent food facility that travels to and services mobile food facilities as needed to replenish supplies, including food and potable water, clean the interior of the unit, or dispose of liquid…

“Molluscan shellfish” means any edible species of fresh or frozen oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops or edible portions thereof, except when the scallop product consists only of the shucked adductor muscle. (Repealed and added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January …

“Multiservice utensil” means a utensil manufactured for use more than one time. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

“Nonpermanent food facility” means a food facility that operates from a mobile unit or at a nonpermanent location, including, but not limited to, a certified farmers’ market, a fishermen’s market, a mobile food facility, a mobile support unit, a temporary food facility, or a vend…

“Nonprofit charitable organization” means either of the following: (a) A corporation incorporated pursuant to the Nonprofit Corporation Law (Division 2 (commencing with Section 5000) of Title 1 of the Corporations Code), that is exempt from taxation pursuant to paragraphs (1) to …

“Nonprofit charitable temporary food facilities” means either one of the following: (a) A temporary food facility, as defined in Section 113930, that is conducted by a nonprofit charitable organization, as defined in Section 113841. (b) An established club or organization of stud…

“Open-air barbecue” means a piece of equipment designed for barbecuing food, where the food is prepared out of doors by cooking directly over hot coals, heated lava, hot stones, gas flame, or other method approved by the department, on equipment suitably designed and maintained f…

“Outdoor wood-burning oven” means an oven located out of doors, that utilizes wood as the primary fuel for cooking and is operated by a temporary food facility, mobile food facility that remains fixed during hours of operation at a community event, permanent food facility, satell…

“Permanent food facility” means a food facility operating in a permanently constructed structure, including any room, building, place, or portion thereof, maintained, used, or operated for the purpose of storing, preparing, serving, manufacturing, packaging, or otherwise handling…