HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Dori Zaleznik, MD, Commissioner
1000 Commonwealth Avenue
Newton, MA 02459-1544
Telephone 617-796-1420
PTOs are frequently engaged in food handling as part of their fund-raising function. The sale of food in the City of Newton, is regulated by State law which is enforced the Newton Health Department. All food that is offered to the general public is required to meet specific quality and handling standards. Therefore, to ensure that food is served safely the following guidelines shall be followed.
- All events that serve food must have a designated person -in charge, who shall be responsible for the training of food service personnel and shall ensure that food is stored, prepared, displayed and served in keeping with safe food practices.
- The designated person in charge must be either a Certified Food Manager or attended the Basic Food Safety course conducted by the Newton Health Department.
- Food permits will be required for all events that are open to the public, except bake sales that serve non-potentially hazardous baked goods only e.g. cookies, brownies, cakes.
- If an event is open to the public and serves food that requires temperature control a permit is required e.g. Pizza, Cream Cheese with Bagels, Coffee with Dairy creamers or milk.
- If the event is open to the school community only, no permit is required; however, all proper food handling requirements must be followed. See PTO Bake Sale notes for additional information.
- Menus for events that are open to the public are subject to approval by the Health Department. The sale of food that normally requires special handling or Health Department permission etc, e.g. Sushi will not be permitted.
- The sale of food that is prepared in a private residence is not permitted except non-potentially hazardous baked goods. State law, for the safety of the public prohibits this practice.
- Recommendations for PTO sponsored bake sales are available here: Bake Sale Guidelines