2001-06-25 Special Called Meeting

Browse Search

r N OD ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE AINCORPORATED AREAS RILES REGULATING FO OF HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS Preface Harris County has authority to enforce statutes and rules concerning food service establishments, retail food stores, mobile food establishments, and roadside food vendors and hereby exercises its authority to enforce the provisions of Chapter 437 to the Tex. Health &. Safety Code Ann., as amended, in the unincorporated areas of Harris County. The following shall be regulated and enforced in accordance with Chapter 437 of the Texas Health &. Safety Code, as amended: the issuance, denial, suspension and revocation of permits to operate food service establishments, retail food stores, mobile- food units, temporary food establishments, and roadside food vendors; submission of plans, authority to inspect and reinspect; and fees for issuing and renewing a permit or for performing an inspection. I. PURPOSES The purposes of these Rules is to safeguard public health and provide to consumers food that is safe, unadulterated, and honestly presented by establishing uniform monitoring for food service and retail food operation in the unincorporated areas of Harris County, including areas in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of a municipality. II. DEFINITIONS The following words and terms, when used in these Rules, shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: x (a) "Applicant" means a person seeking a permit for a food establishment. (b) "Approved" means acceptable to the Regulatory Authority based on a determination of conformity with principles, practices, and generally recognized standards that protect public health. (c) "Authorized agent or employee or agent" means an employee of the Regulatory Authority. (d) "Bed and Breakfast" means: (1) an establishment that provides food service other than to its overnight guests; and (2) the establishment must comply with state law and rules applicable to food establishments. (e) "Food" means a raw, cooked, or processed edible substance, ice, beverage, or ingredient used or intended for use or for sale in whole or in part for human consumption. (f) "Food establishment" means an operation that stores, prepares, packages, services, or otherwise provides food for human consumption such as a food service establishment, a retail food store, a mobile food unit, a mobile food establishment, a temporary food establishment, or a roadside food vendor. The term includes any such place regardless of whether consumption is on or off premises and regardless of whether there is a charge for the food. The term does not include a private home where food is prepared or served for individual family consumption. (g) "Food manager" means an individual who: _ (1) is responsible for identifying hazards in the day-to-day operation of a food preparation, service, or dispensing facility; (2) develops or implements specific policies, procedures, or standards aimed at preventing food-bome illness;