Home-Based Vendor Best Practices

The following best practices will help ensure a high-level of food safety oversight in your kitchen, during preparation, sanitation, transportation, and during event set-up.

Home sanitation

  • Ensure the water supply comes from a safe source
  • Ensure handwashing sinks are easily accessible and supplied with hot and cold running water
  • Maintain pets in an area outside of the kitchen during food preparation
  • Store all foods used for HBV products in a clean, dry location
  • Maintain storage and processing areas free of pest activity. Pests can harbor diseases that may contaminate food and equipment.
  • Store all chemicals away from food, and packaging materials. Improper contact with chemicals may cause contamination due to toxic interactions with food/equipment.
  • Domestic activities such as family meals, and household chores should not be conducted in the same space, at the same time as HBV food preparation.

Hand hygiene

  • Ensure handwashing occurs before and after changing a task (example: cleaning the kitchen, using the restroom, changing gloves, etc.), or any time hand contamination may have occurred
  • Avoid barehand contact with ready-to-eat foods (example: cookies and bread)
  • Use disposable gloves to avoid product contamination (disposable gloves should be discarded after each use)

Personal hygiene

  • Wash your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds using soap and hot water. Hand sanitizer is not a substitute for proper handwashing.
  • Designate a kitchen hand towel for drying your hands to avoid cross-contamination
  • Ensure all cuts or other open wounds are covered while preparing and packaging food
  • Avoid smoking or vaping in the kitchen area during food preparation and packaging
  • Use a new tasting utensil for each product taste test to prevent product contamination

Equipment sanitation

  • Ensure cooking equipment is maintained in good, clean condition
  • Ensure dishes are properly washed prior to use

Refrigeration

  • For ingredients that require refrigeration prior to preparation (example: milk and eggs), ensure the refrigerator is maintained at least 41 degrees F or lower.
  • Maintain refrigerator in clean, and well-organized conditions separating HBV ingredients and personal use items
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