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Retail Food

A Retail Food Facility includes any business or entity that sells or gives food (or beverage) to the public (e.g., customers, attendees, students, employees, patients, inmates, homeless or needy). This includes restaurants, markets, farm stands, farmers' markets, bars, snack bars, school or staff cafeterias, detention facility kitchens, caterers, production kitchens, commissaries, cottage food, charitable feeding, temporary events (e.g., fairs, festivals), skilled nursing and hospital kitchens, and mobile food (food trucks, ice cream trucks, food carts).

There are more than 4,400 retail food facilities in Contra Costa County. Environmental Health conducts regular unannounced inspections of these facilities, and also investigates complaints and reports of foodborne illness. Inspections and investigations are done to ensure these facilities are sanitary and handling food items in a safe manner in compliance with State law.

ApplicationsFAQInspectionsMiscPermit ProcessPlacarding ProgramPlan ReviewResourcesCateringCFMCFOCharitable FoodEdible Food RecoveryEmergency PreparednessFarm StandsMobile FoodSNFsTemp Food PermitsWholesale Food

Placarding Program

Charitable Food

Edible Food Recovery

Emergency Preparedness

Temp Food Permits

Applications, Forms, and Fee Schedule

This is a list of all the applications, forms, and fee schedule associated with the Retail Food Program. The program specific forms are also located on that program's page (e.g., Mobile Food).

Health Permit Applications and Fee Schedule
FAQs
- Catering FAQs (pending)
- CFM FAQs
- CFO FAQs
- Change of Ownership – Retail Food FAQs
- Charitable Food Facility FAQs
- Disaster/Emergency Preparedness – Retail Food FAQs
- Edible Food Recovery FAQs
- Farm Stand FAQs (pending)
- Incidental Food FAQs
- Mobile Food Facility FAQs
- Permit Process – Retail Food FAQs
- Placarding Program FAQs
- Retail Food Inspections FAQs
- SNF and Hospital Food Service FAQs
- Temporary Food Permit FAQs
- Wholesale Food FAQs
Inspections Explained

Retail food facilities are subject to regular unannounced inspections by Environmental Health. Environmental Health also investigates consumer complaints.
- Food Facility Inspection App
- Retail Food Inspection Flowchart-Pending
- Retail Food Inspections FAQs
- Sample Inspection Report
- Search Food Facility Inspection Data Base
Miscellaneous/ General Information
Permit Application Process Explained

Below explains the process to build a new retail food facility or take over an existing facility. A facility cannot operate without a health permit and permits are not transferrable.

New Facility

For a business building from scratch or taking over a building that does not currently house a food facility.
- Permit Application Process and Flowchart (pending)
- Permit Process FAQs
Ownership Change of Existing Facility

For a business taking over an existing retail food facility. A facility evaluation by Environmental Health is required prior to the ownership change being approved. Do not rely entirely on past inspection reports to determine if any upgrades will be required.
- Change of Ownership Flowchart – Retail Food (pending)
- Facility Evaluation Application – Food Facility and Public Pools (ownership change)
- Plan Review vs. Food Facility Code Evaluation Questionnaire
- Prospective Owner of a Retail Facility Informational Sheet
- Risk Category Questionnaire
- Change of Ownership – Retail Food FAQs
Placarding System

Contra Costa County uses a color-coded placarding system to publicly report the results of food safety inspections and food safety practices at fixed retail food facilities. Mobile food facilities that prepare, cook or heat food will also receive a placard at the conclusion of a field inspection.

Placarding requirements apply to all fixed retail food facilities except cottage food operations, vending machines, temporary food events, certified farmers' markets, and farm stands.

Documents
Videos
- How to Get a Green Placard | Spanish | Vietnamese | Mandarin |
Plan Review
- Plan Review Page
Resources: Codes, Documents, Signage, Training, Videos, Other Link

The following is a list resources to help a retail food facility operate in a safe and sanitary manner. It is important that employees or volunteers involved in food service be trained in the basics of food safety and sanitation as well as specifics training related to their job tasks.

Codes
Documents
Signage
- Choking First Aid (pending)
- Cooking Temperatures (pending)
- Danger Zone (pending)
- Handwash – English
- Handwash – Spanish
- Handwash – Chinese
- Inspection Report Available for Review
- No Animals Allowed (pending)
- No Smoking
- Public Restrooms Not Available
- Warewashing Sticker - English
- Warewashing Sticker – Spanish
- Warewashing Sticker – Chinese
Training Classes
Videos: Educational Videos for Retail Food Employees

San Bernardino County Environmental Health and Riverside County Environmental Health have useful videos on their websites that you may find helpful for training employees. Contra Costa Environmental Health is grateful for their permission to share these with our retail food businesses and operators.

San Bernardino County Environmental Health Videos (YouTube)
Contra Costa Environmental Health Videos
Riverside County Environmental Health Videos (YouTube)
- Food Handlers and Their Hands
- Temperature Danger Zone
Other Links

The following agencies may have regulatory oversight related to your operation, depending on items sold or types of food processes performed.

State
Local
Federal
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Catering/Production Kitchens

A production kitchen is a retail food facility in which one or more operators rent space and time in order to prepare foods. The foods are then sold at the retail level at events, fairs, festivals, or farmers' markets. The operator of the production kitchen obtains a production kitchen health permit. The operators renting use of the facility each obtain a catering permit.
- Catering Checklist
- Catering Packet
- Catering SOP
- List of Production Kitchens
- Production Kitchen Agreement
- Catering FAQs (pending)
Charitable Food Facility (Shelters, church kitchens, food banks)

Food that is given away as part of homeless or other feeding program is still subject to regulatory oversight to ensure the food is handled in a safe and sanitary manner. Charitable food facilities include soup kitchens, food banks, and other feeding programs for homeless or needy individuals.
Certified Farmers' Markets

Certified Farmers' Markets (CFMs) are venues where farmers can set up a booth or stall to sell directly to the consumer. These vendors operate under a CFM health permit. There may be other vendors onsite selling other types of prepared foods. These other vendors operate under a temporary food permit.
Cottage Food Operations (CFO)

A cottage food operation (CFO) is a home-based operation allowing certain foods to be prepared in a home kitchen and in limited amounts for retail sale. Below is a list of food items that can be prepared under a CFO health permit. For other types of foods, consider a catering health permit as an option, where the food is made at a production kitchen.
Edible Food Recovery

The California State Legislature passed a law (SB 1383) encouraging the use of leftover food items from retail food facilities that can be safely donated. These food items can then be given to the homeless or needy individuals and families.

Millions of people struggle with hunger in the United States, including children and seniors. A household that is "food insecure" lacks access to affordable and nutritious food to support a healthy life. Many struggle to find their next meal. Many restaurants and markets discard food that was not sold into their garbage can, which eventually ends up in the landfills. Some of this food is still wholesome for consumption.

We encourage people to donate their unwanted or minimally expired food goods to designated food donation centers to help the hungry here in our county.
Emergency Preparedness/Disaster – Retail Food

Retail food facilities are encouraged to prepare for natural disasters or other emergencies. These could include fires, earthquakes, floods, or power outages.
- What to do During Power Outages | Spanish | Chinese – Simplified | Chinese – Traditional | Korean | Vietnamese | Thai
- Disaster/Emergency Preparedness – Retail Food FAQs
Farm Stands

A farm stand is a retail facility which is associated with an agricultural enterprise and allowed to sell certain food items. There are limitations to the types of items that can be sold with this type of health permit.
- Farm Stand Permit Requirements
- Farm Stand Supplemental Information
- Farm Stand FAQs (pending)
Mobile Food/Commissaries (Food trucks, ice cream trucks, food trailers, and food carts)

A mobile food facility is a drivable, towable, or otherwise portable conveyance that sells food items. These include food trucks, food trailers, produce trucks, ice cream trucks, push carts, hot dog carts, and other carts.
Application Forms
Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) and Hospitals

Environmental regulates the foodservice at skilled nursing facilities and other health care facilities, such as hospitals. The kitchens prepare and serve to patient meals and may also prepare meals for staff and visitors.
- Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) and Hospitals Food Service FAQs
Temporary Food Permits (Festivals, Fairs, other Events)

A temporary food health permit is issued to community-based events such as fairs and festivals. Typically, vendors set up food booths in which food is prepared and then served to consumers.
Wholesale Food Facilities

Wholesale food facilities are regulated by State and Federal agencies. These include processors and distributors. The facilities typically do not sell directly to consumers.
- Processed Food Registration - PFR Retail Decision Tree (CDPH)
Links to other agencies that regulate wholesale food operations.

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