1. “Commissary” means a licensed food facility regulated by a governmental entity where food is stored, prepared, portioned, packaged or any combination thereof, and where such food is intended for consumption at another location or place from a mobile food unit or pushcart.
2. “Food establishment” means an operation that stores, prepares, packages, serves, vends, or otherwise provides food for human consumption. For the purposes of this chapter, “food establishment” does not include an establishment that offers only pre-packaged foods that are non-potentially hazardous; a produce stand which sells only whole, uncut fresh fruits and vegetables; an establishment operating in a farmers market if potentially hazardous food is not sold or distributed; a residence in which food that is non-potentially hazardous is sold for consumption off premises to a consumer customer provided the food is labeled so as to identify its preparer; a private home that receives catered or home-delivered food; child care facilities or food establishments in hospitals or health care facilities which are subject to regulation by state agencies; supply vehicles and vending machines.
3. “Mobile food unit” means motorized, a self propelled food establishment or a trailer or vehicle towed by a motorized vehicle, that is readily movable, and which typically operates at a remote location and returns to base of operation or commissary at the end of its daily business. Mobile food units are considered Class IV mobile food units by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
4. “Mobile food unit zone” means an area of governmentally owned property that has been designated as a location upon which mobile food units and pushcarts may sell or offer for sale for immediate consumption food and/or beverages.
5. “Potentially hazardous food” A biological (microorganism), chemical (cleansers, pesticides), or physical (fingernail, plastic) property that may cause an unacceptable consumer health risk.
6. “Pushcart” means a non-motorized food establishment limited to serving non-potentially hazardous packaged foods with limited assembly or commercial or commissary prepared foods that are reheated on the pushcart, such a frankfurters. Pushcarts may be towed by a vehicle, but are generally capable of being moved by human power. Pushcarts are considered Class III mobile food units by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.