Potluck
On August 5, 2014, An Act Relative to Potluck Events was signed into law chapter 230, section 328A, “An Act Relative to Potluck Events”. Under this legislation, all the following conditions must be met for the event to be considered a “Potluck Event” exempt from regulation.
- People must be gathered to share food at the event
- There is no compensation provided to people for bringing food to the event
- The event is not being conducted for commercial purposes, but money may be collected to support the religious, charitable or nonprofit organizations
- The participants at the event shall be informed that neither the food nor the facilities have been inspected by the state or a local public health department
- Participants do not have to be members of the sponsoring organization for the event to be considered a “potluck event.”
A business establishment dealing in the sale of food may not sponsor a potluck event. Additionally, food from the potluck event shall not be brought into the kitchen of a business establishment dealing in the sale of food.
** DPH also notes that the most commonly reported food preparation practices that contribute to food borne illness are improper holding temperatures, poor personal hygiene, inadequate cooking, contaminated equipment, and food from unsafe sources.
For additional information on food safety, organizations looking to conduct potluck and bakesale events may wish to consult the USDA’s publication: Food Safety Guide