Title HSC, California Health & Safety Code

(a) “Personal care items” means items or substances that may be poisonous, toxic, or a source of contamination and are used to maintain or enhance a person’s health, hygiene, or appearance. (b) “Personal care items” include items such as medicines, first aid supplies, cosmetics, …

“pH” means the symbol for the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration, which is a measure of the degree of acidity or alkalinity of a solution. Values between 0 and 7 indicate acidity and values between 7 and 14 indicate alkalinity. The value for pure distilled water…

“Plumbing fixture” means a receptacle or device that is permanently or temporarily connected to the water distribution system of the premises and demands a supply of water from the system or discharges used water, waste materials, or sewage directly or indirectly to the drainage …

“Plumbing system” means the water supply and distribution pipes, plumbing fixtures and traps, soil, waste, and vent pipes, sanitary and storm sewers and building drains, including their respective connections, devices, and appurtenances within the premises, and water-treating equ…

“Poisonous or toxic materials” means substances that are not intended for ingestion and are included in one of the following categories: (a) Cleaners and sanitizers, which include cleaning and sanitizing agents and agents such as caustics, acids, drying agents, polishes, and othe…

“Portable” means equipment that is capable of being lifted and moved or has utility connections that are designed to be disconnected or of sufficient length to permit the unit to be moved for cleaning, and does not exceed 100 pounds (46 kg) in weight or is otherwise designed to b…

“Potable water” means water that complies with the standards for transient noncommunity water systems pursuant to the California Safe Drinking Water Act (Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 116270) of Part 12, to the extent permitted by federal law. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, …

(a) “Potentially hazardous food” means a food that requires time or temperature control to limit pathogenic micro-organism growth or toxin formation. (b) “Potentially hazardous food” includes a food of animal origin that is raw or heat-treated, a food of plant origin that is heat…

“Poultry” means either of the following: (a) Any domesticated bird, including chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, or guineas, whether live or dead, as defined in Poultry Products Inspection Regulations (9 C.F.R. 381). (b) Any migratory waterfowl, game bird, including a pheasant, par…

“Premises” means: (a) The food facility, its contents, and the contiguous land or property and its facilities and contents that are under the control of the permitholder. (b) The food facility, its contents, and the land or property not described in subdivision (a) if the facilit…

“Prepackaged food” means any properly labeled processed food, prepackaged to prevent any direct human contact with the food product upon distribution from the manufacturer, a food facility, or other approved source. (Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 571, Sec. 14. (SB 241) Effective Oc…

“Produce” means any whole edible portion of a plant in its raw and natural state. (Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 447, Sec. 9. Effective January 1, 2009.)

“Produce stand” means a permanent food facility that sells, offers for sale, or gives away only produce or shell eggs, or both, except that “produce stand” does not include premises operated by a producer selling or offering for sale only whole produce grown by the producer, or s…

“Producer” means a person or entity who produces shell eggs or edible plants by practice of the agricultural arts upon land that the person or entity controls. (Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 447, Sec. 10. Effective January 1, 2009.)

“Ready-to-eat food” means food that is in a form that is edible without additional preparation to achieve food safety, as specified in Section 114004 or Section 114008, is a raw or partially cooked food of animal origin and the consumer is advised as specified under Section 11409…

“Reduced-oxygen packaging” means the reduction of the amount of oxygen in a package by mechanically evacuating the oxygen, displacing the oxygen with another gas or combination of gases, or otherwise controlling the oxygen content in a package to a level below that normally found…

“Refrigeration unit” means a mechanical unit that extracts heat from an area through liquefaction and evaporation of a fluid by a compressor, flame, or thermoelectric device, and includes a mechanical thermostatic control device that regulates refrigerated blown air into an enclo…

“Refuse” means solid waste not carried by water through the sewage system. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

“Remodel” means construction, building, or repair to the food facility that requires a permit from the local building authority. For purposes of mobile food facilities, temporary food facilities, and satellite food service, “remodel” means any replacement or significant modificat…

(a) “Restricted food service facility” means either of the following: (1) A food facility of 20 guestrooms or less that provides overnight transient occupancy accommodations, that serves food only to its registered guests, that serves only a breakfast or similar early morning mea…

“Restrict” means to limit the activities of a food employee so that there is no risk of transmitting a disease that is transmissible through food and the food employee does not work with exposed food, clean equipment, utensils, linens, and unwrapped single-use articles. (Added by…

“Retail” means the storing, preparing, serving, manufacturing, packaging, transporting, salvaging, or otherwise handling food for dispensing or sale directly to the consumer or indirectly through a delivery service. (Repealed and added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective Ja…

“Sanitization” means the application of cumulative heat or chemicals on cleaned food-contact surfaces that, when evaluated for efficacy, is sufficient to yield a reduction of five logs, which is equal to a 99.999 percent reduction, of representative disease micro-organisms of pub…

“Satellite food service” means a remotely located food service operation that is conducted on the same property as, in reasonable proximity to, and in conjunction with and by, a fully enclosed permanent food facility. Satellite food service located within a fully enclosed permane…

“Sealed” means free of cracks or other openings that allow the entry or passage of moisture. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

(a) “Service animal” means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability, or that is in training to do that work or perform …

“Shellfish certification number” means a unique combination of letters and numbers assigned by a shellfish control authority to a molluscan shellfish dealer according to law or to the provisions of the National Shellfish Sanitation Program. (Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 96, Sec. 6…

“Shellfish control authority” means a state, federal, foreign, tribal, or other government entity legally responsible for administering a program that includes certification of molluscan shellfish harvesters and dealers. (Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 96, Sec. 7. Effective July 20,…

“Shellstock” means raw, in-shell molluscan shellfish. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

“Shucked shellfish” means molluscan shellfish that have one or both shells removed. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

“Single-use articles” mean utensils, tableware, carry-out utensils, bulk food containers, and other items such as bags, containers, placemats, stirrers, straws, toothpicks, and wrappers that are designed and constructed for one time, one person use, after which they are intended …

“Smooth” means any of the following: (a) A food-contact surface that is free of pits, pinholes, cracks, crevices, inclusions, rough edges, and other surface imperfections detectable by visual or tactile inspection. (b) A nonfood-contact equipment surface equal to that of commerci…

“Swap meet” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 21661 of the Business and Professions Code. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

“Table-mounted equipment” means equipment that is not portable and is designed to be mounted off the floor on a table, counter, or shelf. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

“Tableware” means eating, drinking, and serving utensils for table use, including forks, knives, spoons, bowls, cups, serving dishes, tumblers, and plates. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

“Temperature measuring device” means a thermometer, thermocouple, thermistor, or other device that indicates the temperature of food, air, or water. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

“Temporary food facility” means a food facility approved by the enforcement officer that operates at a fixed location for the duration of an approved community event or at a swap meet and only as a part of the community event or swap meet. (Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 571, Sec. 1…

“Third-party food delivery platform” means a business engaged in the service of online food ordering and delivery from a food facility to a consumer. For purposes of this section, a food facility does not include a grocery store, as defined in Section 113948, or a room, building,…

“Tight-fitting” means fabricated so that joining members are in contact along the entire seam with no opening greater than 1/64th inch (.04 cm). (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

“Transporter” means any vehicle used to transport food pursuant to a prior order from a manufacturer, distributor, retail food facility, or other approved source to a retail food facility or consumer. (Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 571, Sec. 18. (SB 241) Effective October 11, 2009.…

“USDA” means the United States Department of Agriculture. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007. Operative July 1, 2007, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 23.)

“Utensil” means a food-contact implement or container used in the storage, preparation, transportation, dispensing, sale, or service of food, such as kitchenware or tableware that is multiuse, single-service, or single-use, gloves used in contact with food, temperature sensing pr…

“Variance” means a written document issued by the department that allows the use of an alternative practice or procedure based on a determination by the department that the alternate practice or procedure is equivalent to the existing requirements, and that a health hazard will n…

“Vending machine” means a self-service device that, upon insertion of money or tokens, dispenses food without the necessity of replenishing the device between each vending operation and that operates in conjunction with a commissary. “Vending machine” does not include any device …

“Vermin” means cockroaches, mice, rats, and similar pests that carry disease. (Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 571, Sec. 19. (SB 241) Effective October 11, 2009.)

“Vermin infestation” means the presence of vermin within the food facility as evidenced by actual live bodies, fresh droppings or vomitus, urine stains, or gnaw marks, that could result in contamination to the food, equipment, packaging, or utensils. (Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 23…