Notes on Recommendations to ensure food safety (June 2005)

-FMO says that they support the selling of ungraded eggs at farmers’ markets “Recommendations:

The Working Group is requesting that the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Infectious Disease Branch, consider the adoption and implementation of the following recommendations:

1. Propose that the Food Premises Regulation under the Health Protection and Promotion Act be amended in order to make exceptions, which would allow homemade non-potentially hazardous foods to be sold at a farmers’ market.

2. Propose that a list of non-potentially hazardous foods which can be prepared at home and sold at a farmers’ market" be provided in guidelines

3. Propose that a definition for a "farmers’ market" be included in either the Food Premises Regulation or Guidelines.

4. Propose that a definition for "potentially hazardous food" that is scientifically based be provided in the Food Premises Regulation or Guidelines

5. Propose that the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Infectious Disease Branch, develop standardized advice and guidance documents to be available to all Health Units and farmers' markets to foster a positive exchange of information.

6. Propose that guidelines be developed to assist in the prevention or contamination and spoiling of foods prepared at home for sale at a "farmers’ market"

7. Propose standards and requirements for sinks and hand washing facilities and refrigeration for “farmers’ markets” that would differ from current requirements for all food premises.

8. Propose the establishment of requirements and obligations on operators of farmers’ markets to keep a list of vendors: name, address, foods offered for sale.

9. Propose a scientific literature search on eggs regarding mode of microbial contamination (transovarian (vertical transmission) and trans-shell (horizontal transmission) be conducted and should the findings indicate that ungraded eggs do not pose a health risk that the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs permit the sale of ungraded eggs at farmers’ markets.

10. Propose that these recommendations be considered for other “temporary food markets” including: “flea markets, roadside markets and other temporary events”.