Food Safety Regulations for Faith Based Organizations

Despite the difficulty in getting a budget passed by the state legislators, they did manage to make some language changes to State Statute Chapter 157 that governs the licensure and inspection of establishments that serve food. These changes affect faith based organizations (churches, in our vocabulary) and became effective August 1, 2011.

Food served at weddings, funerals and meals associated with a religious activity are now exempt from licensure requirements. Food served at the occasional fund raiser or community festival held on the church property is also exempt. In either case, the exemption applies provided that a certified food manager, or a volunteer trained in a food safety course, trains the food preparation workers in safe food handling practices.

The following questions and answers come from the Minnesota Department of Health website.

1. A faith-based organization has a fund-raising meal (example: a fish fry) every Friday. Are these types of events exempt? Yes, fundraising events in the church or on the grounds are exempt if a certified food manager, or volunteer trained in food safety, trains the event food workers.

2. If members of a faith-based organization prepare food in their unlicensed, exempted kitchen for sale at another location, are they also exempt from licensure at the other location? No. They must obtain a license for food sold at another location, and the food must be prepared in a licensed kitchen. If your women’s group serves or sells food at auctions or other events that are held at another location, you will need to check with the MDH as to how to proceed. There are requirements for special event food stands that can be found at http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/food/license/specevent.html

3. Does the person who attends the training have to be present at each food event at our church? No
4. Which food safety courses are available to a faith based volunteer in order to qualify for the exemption? Several options exist:
·  Food manager Certification courses are listed on the MDH website (www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/food/fmc/courses.html)
·  University of Minnesota Extension teaches a course called Cooking for a Crowd (www.extension.umn.edu/foodsafety/components/quantitycooks.html)
5. How often does the volunteer need to take a course? Food Manager Certification certificates expire every three years. MDH recommends that volunteers obtain continuing education credits at least every three (3) years.

6. Are potlucks exempt from licensure? YES

It appears that for most of what we do, having a volunteer trained in food safety that will train event food workers will suffice. More detailed information can be obtained by calling the MDH at 651-201-4500, by email at and on the MDH website http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/food/license/index.html