Farmers' Markets and Food Safety

Food Products

Home-Canned Foods

• No stall holder shall offer for sale home-canned foods other than jams, jellies and pickles.

Definitions:

• Pickled products are those processed with salt, sugar and/or vinegar and include cucumbers, green peppers, beets, carrots, mushrooms, eggs, green tomatoes and onions.
• Jams and jellies are defined as 65 percent solids (fruits plus 55 percent sugar)

Recommendations for Standard Safe Canning Practices:

• It is recommended that jams and jellies be sealed using a 2- piece lid.
• Jams and jellies with a pH below 4.6 may be sealed with new torque seal lids.
• Low-sugar fruit spreads other than freezer products must be heat processed.
• Freezer jams are to be kept frozen
• Glass jars and lids must be washed, rinsed and sanitized prior to use.

Perishable Foods

• No stall holder shall offer for sale perishable food unless it is held at a temperature below 4 degrees C or above 60 degrees C. Examples of perishable foods include: cheese, milk, poultry, sauces, spreads, salsa, antipasto, meats, pyrogies, cabbage rolls, etc. Also included are baked goods such as sausage rolls, cheesecake and cream, pumpkin or meringue pies.
• All meat must be stamped, tagged, or otherwise labeled as being inspected.
• All milk and any milk products used as ingredients must be pasteurized unless the cheese production process has been approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
• Vendors pasteurizing their own milk shall produce a Certificate of Registration number issued by the Dairy Quality
• Section of Alberta Agriculture and/or meet the requirements of the Food and Drug Act, Health Canada.
• Whole raw shell eggs must be clean and free of cracks.
• Smoked fish can be sold either refrigerated or frozen.
• Refrigerated products must be packaged using perforated material to allow oxygen exchange with all portions of the product.

Vacuum sealed containers, plastic bags with twist ties or trays with plastic wrap are not allowed. Health Canada suggests two 1/4 inch holes every two inches. Perforated packaging is not required if the product is frozen.

Food Protection

• Display
  • all food sold to the public must be protected from contamination and customer handling, e.g. covered, wrapped, sneeze guards, etc.
• Packaging of Foods
  • Food grade plastic bags and wrap, paper bags and other disposable containers shall be clean and not previously used. Garbage bags are prohibited (they are treated with chemical odour control products which can leach into the food
  • Perishable foods shall not be sold in sealer jars since the consumer might treat the product as being canned. Plastic, styrofoam or paper containers are acceptable.
• Labelling
  • All products should be labelled with the name of the product, name of the producer with their address and/or telephone number and the preparation date. Further information on labelling is available from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 495-7287.
• Food Preparation
  • There is to be no food preparation at the stall except under special circumstances. Exceptions include: sampling, approvals for a special event, or when a separate Food Establishment Permit* has been issued at the location or to a mobile unit, by the Health Authority.
  • Food preparation includes cooking, reheating, portioning, cutting or serving unportioned foods (soups).

Basic Requirements for Food Establishment Permit (ask your Environmental Health Officer for further details):

• Permanent location at the market.
• Two-compartment pot or utility sink large enough to accommodate the equipment that requires cleaning.
• One-compartment handsink.
• Floor surface must be washable and impervious to moisture.
• Equipment must be adequate for the intended purpose, e.g. hot holding equipment, cooking equipment, dipper well, preparation counters, refrigeration, sneeze guards, etc.
• Compliance with all other relevant legislation, e.g. Fire Protection Branch, Building Inspection, Plumbing, Heating and Ventilation, etc.
• Dispensing
  • Dispensing or serving of pre-portioned foods is permitted.
  • Foods must be pre-portioned before being brought to the market, e.g. muffins, pepperoni sticks, sausage rolls, etc.
  • Perishable foods must be dispensed either hot (above 60 degrees C) or cold (below 4 degrees C).
  • Hot foods must be brought to the market at temperatures above 60 degrees C and then maintained at a temperature of 60 degrees C (no reheating is permitted).
• Food Samples
  • These include no-charge, bite-size portions only.
  • Stall holders supplying food samples and dispensing foods shall:
    • provide a basin with an adequate supply of water (container with a spigot)
    • have soap and disposable towels available
    • have a sanitizer (e.g. bleach) available for cutting boards and utensils
    • wash their hands prior to handling food, keep perishable foods above 60 degrees C or below 4 degrees C
    • replace samples if they are displayed longer than one hour
    • discard leftover or contaminated samples
    • refrain from smoking at food tables

Housekeeping

• The market must have a two-compartment sink available for stall holders' cleanup requirements.
• All stalls and display counters must be kept clean. The market management should arrange garbage and refuse removal service as soon as practical after each market day.

Washrooms

• Toilet and handwashing facilities must be available within 100 meters.
• Installation of privies requires approval from the Health Authority.

Copyright & Disclaimer
Reviewed by Alberta clinical experts. Brought to you by HealthLink Alberta. Copyright.
This material is designed for information purposes only. It should not be used in place of medical advice, instruction and/or treatment. For more health advice call Capital Health Link at 780-408-LINK (5465) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In Alberta, call Toll-free: 1-866-408-LINK (5465)