Sampling operations.

Houston Code of Ordinances § 20-190

in effect

Sec. 20-190. - Sampling operations. All vendors conducting sampling shall comply with the following sanitation requirements: (1) Limited preparation. Only those time/temperature controlled for safety (TCS) foods approved by the health officer and foods requiring limited preparation shall be prepared, displayed, served or sampled. (2) Temperature maintenance. Time/temperature controlled for safety (TCS) food requiring limited preparation shall be served and maintained at the internal temperature of 41°F (5°C) or below or 135°F (57°C) or above in facilities that meet the requirements of this article except for shell eggs, as described in section 20-21.1(b)(3), which shall be stored at 45°F (7°C) or below according to all applicable laws. If the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Food and Drug Administration determine by law that a lower temperature must be maintained, the lower temperature shall prevail. (3) Disposal. All food samples shall be disposed within four hours after beginning of the operation, if not served or consumed. (4) Food service manager's certification. The market manager or the operator of the establishment shall attend the food service manager's certification course in accordance with sections 20-52 and 20-53 of this Code. At least one certified manager shall be present when sampling operations are being conducted. (5) Water. Vendors shall have sufficient hot and cold potable water for cleaning foods and for cleaning and sanitizing equipment and utensils. (6) Single use articles. Only single use articles as defined in article II of this chapter shall be provided for use by consumers. (7) Hand-washing. An approved facility for employee hand-washing, consisting, at a minimum, of warm, clean running water, soap, and individual paper towels or other approved hand drying device shall be provided near the vendors' establishments. (8) Single-use gloves. Single-use gloves shall be used when the samples are being cut or prepared. Single-use gloves shall be used for only one task such as working with ready-to-eat food or with raw animal food. They shall be used for no other purpose and discarded when interruptions occur in the operation or when damaged or soiled. (9) Hair restraints. While handling food or utensils, vendors shall wear effective hair restraints and clothing that covers body hair to prevent the contamination of food or food-contact surfaces as specified in section 2-402.11(a) of the FDA Model Food Code. (10) Equipment and utensil cleaning and sanitation. An approved facility shall be provided for washing, rinsing and sanitizing of equipment and utensils used in the preparation and service of samples. The facility must consist of at least three containers or compartments, each of adequate size so as to permit the total immersion of all utensils used in the vendor's establishment. Washing, rinsing and sanitizing shall be conducted as specified under Sections 4-603.15, 4-603.16, and 4-703.11 of the FDA Model Food Code. (11) Walls and ceilings. Walls and ceilings, where required by the health officer to protect food from contamination and to protect the public from food borne illness, shall be made of wood, canvas, or other similar material that protects the establishment from the weather and other contaminating agents. When required, screening material used for walls shall be at least 16-mesh to the inch. (Ord. No. 04-1013, § 2, 9-29-04; Ord. No. 07-1051, § 3, 9-12-07; Ord. No. 2015-1202, §§ 88, 89, 96, 12-2-2015; Ord. No. 2025-743, § 22, 8-27-2025)

Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH20FODR_ARTIIIFAPR_DIV2CEFAMA_S20-190SAOPFetched: 10/26/2026