Commissary (Central Prep Facility)

Mobile Food Units shall operate from a Central Preparation Facility (CPF) commonly termed as a "commissary" and shall report to such location daily for supplies and for cleaning and servicing operations. Each central preparation facility must contain a servicing area.  

A Central Preparation Facility (CPF) or "commissary" and Servicing Area must be operated in compliance with Subchapter F and Subchapter H of TFER pertaining to Physical Facilities and the current NET Health District Order. A copy of the current permit and most recent inspection report for the Central Preparation Facility and Servicing Area that will be used by the MFU must be provided to the regulatory authority with the MFU application as provided in TFER 228.221(a)(4)(C).

The scope and frequency of services provided by both the servicing area and the MFU unit must be determined at the time of plan review and included in the application and must be based on the:

Menu;

Extend of food preparation and relationship of food preparation between the MFU and the CPF;

Limitations of the MFU and the Central Preparation Facility and Servicing Area;

How often the MFU will be returning to the Servicing Area (a minimum of once per day)

The Central Preparation Facility and Servicing Area shall be a fixed establishment – not a temporary establishment, nor a mobile type establishment. The Central Preparation Facility and Servicing Area may provide a variety of services to the MFU such as: storage and/or preparation facilities for food products (including refrigeration and cooking facilities); the supply of potable water; the availability of adequate plumbing connections (RV Dump Station) for waste water disposal and waste grease disposal containers; storage and ware washing facilities for equipment and utensils; storage and maintenance of other supplies; linen service, personnel resources and parking of the MFU when not in operation, fumigation of the MFU, and cleaning of outside unit. The Central Preparation Facility and Servicing Area must be of such size and scope as to accommodate its own operation, as well as those of the MFU.  The Central Preparation Facility   can be as simple as a storage location for packaged single service ware, packaged food, or even something as complex as a commercial food establishment  housing many Mobile Food Units (MFU’s), however, the complexity will depend on the type of Mobile Food Unit, the needs of the Mobile Food Unit and the number of MFU’s it is providing service to.  

TFER 228.221 (b) Central preparation facility.
(1) Supplies, cleaning, and servicing operations. Mobile Food Units shall operate from a central preparation facility or other fixed food establishment and shall report to such location daily for supplies and for cleaning and servicing operations.
(2) Construction. The central preparation facility or other fixed food service establishment, used as a base of operation for Mobile Food Units, shall be constructed and operated in compliance with the requirements of these rules (pertaining to Physical Facilities).

TFER 228.221 (c) Servicing area and operations.
(1) Protection.
(A) A Mobile Food Unit servicing area shall include at least overhead protection for any supplying, cleaning, or servicing operation. Those areas used only for the loading of water and/or the discharge of sewage and other liquid waste, through the use of a closed system of hoses, need not be provided with overhead protection.
(B) Within the servicing area, the location provided for the flushing and drainage of liquid wastes shall be separate from the location provided for potable water servicing and for the loading and unloading of food and related supplies. P
(C) A servicing area will not be required where only packaged food is placed on the Mobile Food Unit or where Mobile Food Units do not contain waste retention tanks.
(D) The surface of the servicing area shall be constructed of a smooth nonabsorbent material, such as concrete or machine-laid asphalt and shall be maintained in good repair, kept clean, and be graded to drain.
(E) Potable water servicing equipment shall be installed in the servicing area according to the Plumbing Code and shall be stored and handled in a way that protects the water and equipment from contamination. Pf
(2) Construction exemption. The construction of the walls and ceilings of the servicing area is exempted from the provisions of §228.173(a) of this title (relating to Physical Facilities). must provide overhead protection for any supplying, offloading of food or equipment, cleaning, or servicing of the MFU. The area used only for the loading of water and/or the discharge of sewage and other liquid wastes need not be covered by overhead protection if the water is transferred through the use of a closed system of hoses. The location for the flushing and drainage of liquid wastes shall be separated (greater than 10 feet suggested) from the location provided for potable water servicing and for the loading and unloading of food and related supplies to prevent cross contamination. The ground in the servicing area shall be constructed of a smooth nonabsorbent material, such as concrete or machine-laid asphalt and shall be maintained in good repair, kept clean and be graded to drain.

If the MFU is used at a fair, carnival or other event where it does not or cannot return to the servicing area, the MFU must comply with the requirements of a Temporary Food Establishment during the dates and times of that particular single event or celebration.