Davis suggests modified rules for temporary food vendors, snack shacks

FARMINGTON — The Davis County Board of Health may modify its rules for temporary food vendors and "snow shacks" to better ensure safety rules are followed and expand vendor offerings a bit.

Among components of the rule amendments, presented to the board Tuesday, are that temporary food service units get a seasonal permit rather than one for each event. Permit holders would be required to submit a schedule listing events where they will operate. They also would be able to offer up to eight "potentially hazardous" food items — for example, eggs and dairy products — instead of the current limit of five.

Also, all foods would have to be prepared in an approved facility or on-site. County health director Lewis Garrett said it would eliminate food being prepared at home — where diapered children or pets may be around — before being sold.

"That's just a poor practice, and it's linked to food-borne outbreaks," Garrett said, "and we really need to keep a handle on that."

Garrett described the overall amendment as "another attempt to make this a lighter regulatory touch on our business community but still do what we need to do" regarding food safety.

The snow-cone shacks amendment would allow those operators to sell ice, flavored syrup and a scoop of packaged, single-use ice cream. The ice cream is not allowed under current regulations.

The board will conduct a public hearing before final approval of the amendments.

— Brice Wallace