Food Selling & Sampling Guidelines
categories coming soon
Food Sampling
Please note that the distribution of food & beverage samples will not be permitted at the Winter 2021 show. All selling of food is meant for home consumption only and must not be promoted for immediate consumption.
2. TORONTO PUBLIC HEALTH’S “TEMPORARY FOOD ESTABLISHMENT APPLICATION”
Every Flavours exhibitor must complete all pages of the Toronto Public Health Temporary Food Establishment Application by Friday, November 1, 2019.
The Toronto Public Health (TPH) department is responsible for inspecting food premises to make sure food is safe to eat, enforcing the Food Premises Regulations and educating food handlers on safe food handling methods. Visit this website for more information. While exhibiting at the One of a Kind Show, “Flavours” vendors are expected to abide by the regulations set forth by TPH with regards to safe food handling procedures. Follow the procedures posted here to avoid getting a fine or being shut down at the Show. To help our artisans abide by TPH regulation, the One of a Kind Show provides washing stations at the North end of the hall for the exclusive use of Flavours exhibitors.
While exhibiting at the One of a Kind Show, “Flavours” vendors are expected to abide by the regulations set forth by Toronto Public Health with regards to safe food handling procedures.
Tips: All of TPH’s regulations will be enforced. Below are a couple of regulations that are most difficult to rectify once onsite.
- Temporary Hand Washing Station must be in present in any booth where food sampling is happening. This consists of liquid soap, paper towels, container with spigot, a raised surface to put the container with spigot on, and a bucket for the water to pour into (see image below). All of these items are available at Canadian Tire and Walmart. Please ensure your temporary handwashing station is set up before the show opens.
- Safe Sampling Practices can be achieved with the use of a few key products. Below is a list of dos and don’ts based on the type of product being sampled.
- Liquids and Sauces
- Do: Use squeeze bottles or pumps to dispense the product.
- Do not: Leave open or uncovered bowls of sauce, allow customers to dip in or spoon the sauce themselves, or have the samples easily accessible so that the customers may help themselves.
- Solid Foods
- Do: Keep covered always, place food in a disposable container before giving the sample to the customer.
- Do not: Leave food uncovered, place food closer to the customer than to you, or have the samples easily accessible so that the customers may help themselves.
- Some very helpful products to support the “dos” of food sampling are squeeze bottles, cake stand lids, and tongs.
- Liquids and Sauces
Please read through the entire below linked Temporary Food Establishment Package as it has lots of useful additional tips.
To help our artisans abide by TPH regulation, the One of a Kind Show provides washing stations at the North end of the hall for the exclusive use of Flavours exhibitors. Please note, this washing station is for dishes only and is not a substitute for the temporary handwashing station required in your booth.
Toronto Public Health (TPH) Inspection
The Toronto Public Health (TPH) department is responsible for inspecting food premises to make sure food is safe to eat, enforcing the Food Premises Regulations and educating food handlers on safe food handling methods. Visit this website for more information. While exhibiting at the One of a Kind Show, “Flavours” vendors are expected to abide by the regulations set forth by TPH with regards to safe food handling procedures. Follow the procedures posted here to avoid getting a fine or being shut down at the Show. To help our artisans abide by TPH regulation, the One of a Kind Show provides a dishwashing station at the North end of the hall for the exclusive use of Flavours exhibitors.
Health Canada Inspection
Health Canada's Consumer Product Safety department occasionally visits the show. The purpose of their visit is to ensure that the products sold at the show are compliant with the regulations under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act and the Food and Drugs Act (Cosmetic Regulations). Additionally, it is an opportunity to educate and inform exhibitors of their responsibilities.
To best prepare for any inspections please familiarize yourself with the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA) and the Food and Drugs Act (FDA)'s Cosmetic Regulations. If any of your products are found to be non-compliant, they may ask you to voluntarily remove prohibited or non-compliant products from sale as it is a violation of the CCPSA or the Food and Drugs Act to sell a prohibited or non-compliant consumer product or cosmetic in Canada.
Please refer to the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act Quick Reference Guide for further information.
Allergy Awareness
In accordance with Health Canada regulations, all food for sale must provide clear ingredient labels, to help consumers identify and avoid foods which contain ingredients to which they are allergic or sensitive. In addition food items for sale must be labeled in a consistent manner (in accordance with Health Canada regulations), to alert consumers to any potential allergens, gluten sources and sulphites.
Click here for more information and a list of priority allergens.
Packing Examples
Below is an image exemplifying how to follow the food packaging rules noted above.