Food Establishments- Mobile Food Establishments

Mobile Food Establishments are regulated by the State Sanitary Code 105 CMR 590.000 Minimum Sanitation Standards for Food Establishments and the FDA Federal Food Code 2013 along with the Mansfield Board of Health Food Protection Regulations.  An annotated merged food code can be found here.

A Mobile Food Establishment (MFE) is a food service operation permitted under the Retail Food Code that is operated from a movable motor driven or propelled vehicle, portable structure, or watercraft that is able to change location.

Each MFE must have a separate permit from the Local Board of Health (LBOH) for each mobile facility and from each municipality where the MFE intends to operate. The permit may be issued for any period of time approved by the LBOH, and should include the dates, location(s), and any restrictions in the operation.

The MA DPH Food Protection Program has resources available to assist in complying with state regulations related to production and sale of food from a Mobile Food Establishment.

If the MFE contains propane or hoods, it must also be inspected by the Fire Department.  The Mansfield Fire Department can be reached at 508-261-7321. 

There are several town bylaws which apply to Food Establishments: 

Plastic Waste Reduction:  No retail establishment in the Town of Mansfield shall provide thin-film, single-use plastic check-out bags to customers. The entire bylaw can be found online at https://ecode360.com/33559313. 

Polystyrene Container Reduction: Food establishments are prohibited from dispensing prepared food and drink in disposable food service containers made from expanded polystyrene. All food establishments are strongly encouraged to use reusable food service containers and cutlery, and when possible biodegradable, compostable alternatives. Compostable materials must meet ASTM (American Society of the International Association for Testing and Materials) Standards for compostability. The entire bylaw can be found online at https://ecode360.com/36687921 

Plastic Straw/Stirrer Reduction: Plastic beverage straws and plastic stirrers shall not be used or dispensed or sold except upon request in conjunction with the serving by business establishments or at any town-sponsored event of liquid, slurry, frozen, semi-frozen, or other forms of beverages to the public for consumption.  The entire bylaw can be found online at https://ecode360.com/36687903 

Permit Applications

All Health Department Permits are processed through an online platform located here: https://permiteyes.us/mansfield/loginuser.php

All permit applications must be submitted via this platform. Paper applications are no longer accepted. New users must register first by using the link on the website above or by going directly to: https://permiteyes.us/mansfield/userregistration.php

If you don't have regular access to a computer, an online permit station has been established in Town Hall on the first floor.

A guide to Permit Eyes for the Health Department is available here: Mansfield Health Department Online Permitting Guide

If you have any technical questions or issues, you can contact help@fullcircletech.com.

For non-technical questions, you can contact health@mansfieldma.com.