§ 8-681. Definitions.

For purposes of this article, the following words, terms, and phrases shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Commissary means any stationary food establishment licensed by this state that serves mobile food dispensers, mobile food facilities, vending machines or other food dispensing operations where:

a.

Food, containers or supplies are stored;

b.

Food is prepared or prepackaged for sale or service at other locations;

c.

Utensils are cleaned; or

d.

Liquid and solid wastes are disposed of or potable water is obtained.

Easily cleanable means readily accessible and of such material and finish and so fabricated that residue may be completely removed by normal cleaning methods.

Employee means any person working in a food service establishment who transports food or food containers, who engages in food preparation or service, or who comes in contact with any food, utensils or equipment.

Equipment means all stoves, ranges, hoods, meat blocks, tables, counters, refrigerators, sinks, dishwashing machines, steam tables and similar items, other than utensils, used in the operation of a mobile food service vehicle.

Food means all items for human consumption, including, but not limited to, food, drink, confectionery, and condiments, whether simple, mixed or compound, and all substances or ingredients used to prepare food.

Food area means any area of a mobile food preparation vehicle where food is stored, prepared, cooked, served, sold, or offered for sale.

Food equipment means all items used to prepare food, including, but not limited to, containers, utensils, food-contact surfaces and devices and vehicles or trailers.

Health officer means the health officer and director of the county health department or his designated representative.

Labeling means the marking, designation, or descriptive device on food containers and/or articles of food denoting the name of the product, ingredients, name and address of manufacturer and/or distributor, if name and address of distributor is utilized, then the permit number and the permitting agency, and any other information required by the county health officer.

Menu change means a modification of a food establishment's menu that requires a change in the food establishment's food preparation equipment, storage equipment or storage capacity previously approved by the county health department. This term includes, but is not limited to, the addition of potentially hazardous food to a menu, installation of new food preparation or storage equipment, or increase in storage capacity.

Mobile food preparation vehicle means any motorized vehicle that has a self-contained or attached trailer kitchen in which food is prepared, processed or stored; is used to sell and dispense food to consumers; and is on wheels and is mobile at all times during operation. Any mobile food preparation vehicle that removes such wheels or becomes stationary shall meet all applicable regulations of the Tennessee Department of Health. This phrase does not include pushcarts as regulated by the county's codes and prohibited from selling potentially hazardous foods by the Tennessee Department of Health; vehicles from which only ice cream and other frozen desserts are sold; industrial caterers, such as mobile food truck-packaged food only; produce trucks; or vehicles operating under a special event permit.

Mobile food preparation vendor means a person who operates a mobile food preparation vehicle as a commercial enterprise, or who engages in the sale of food from such vehicle, pursuant to a permit issued by the county health department in accordance with this article, and shall include, but not be limited to, an owner, employee, volunteer, or other person in charge of such vehicle.

Parking location means the location where a mobile food preparation vehicle is parked when such vehicle is stopped for the purposes of preparing, selling, or dispensing food to consumers, which shall include, but not be limited to, county streets, alleys, and other public roadways within the office general (OG); commercial mixed use 1, 2 and 3 (CMU-1, CMU-2 and CMU-3); campus master plan -1 and -2 (CMP-1 and CMP-2); employment (EMP); warehouse and distribution (WD) and heavy industrial (IH) zoning districts; and public and private school sites within residential zoning districts with written authorization from the school as required by § 8-683(d)(1) of this article.

Perishable food means any food of such type, or in such condition, as may spoil.

Person in charge means the individual present in a food service establishment at the time of inspection and includes, but is not limited to, the owner, a supervisor, or any employee present during the operation of the mobile food preparation vehicle.

Potentially hazardous food means any food that consists in whole or in part of milk or milk products, eggs, including boiled eggs, meat, poultry, shellfish, edible crustacea, or other ingredients such as synthetic ingredients in a form capable of supporting rapid and progressive growth of infectious or toxigenic organisms. This phrase does not include clean, whole, uncracked, odor-free, unpeeled, shelled eggs or food that has a ph level of 4.6 or below or a water activity value of 0.85 or less.

Restaurant means an eating and drinking establishment where refreshments and meals are processed, cooked, prepared and offered for sale primarily for consumption on the premises.

Sanitize means to clean surfaces of equipment and utensils by a process using effective bactericidal treatment that has been approved by the county health officer as being effective in destroying microorganisms, including pathogens.

Servicing area means an area having, at a minimum, overhead protection for any supplying, cleaning, or servicing operation; and a location for the flushing and drainage of liquid wastes separate from the location provided for water servicing and for the loading and unloading of food and related supplies.

Utensil means any tableware and kitchenware used in the storage, preparation, conveying or serving of food.

Wholesome, when applied to food for human consumption, means in sound condition, clean, and free from adulteration.

(Ord. No. 411, § 1, 1-23-2012)