Food Establishment Guidance

• Regulatory Clarifications
• TDSHS Guidance Publications in English
• TDSHS Guidance Publications in Spanish
• Emergency Guidance Documents
• FDA Employee Health Policy Tool

Requirements

• Article IV - Regulation of Food Establishments
• Article V - Child Care Centers
• Article VII - Public Pools, Spas, and PIWF
• Article X - Regulation of Smoking
• Article XIV - Hotel Premises and Sanitation Regulations

Can mosquitoes carry COVID-19?  No.

Please see an article concerning this question by clicking here.

Other useful information concerning mosquito control, pesticides, and the West Nile Virus can be found at the following websites:

• American Mosquito Control Association
• CDC: West Nile Virus Information Page
• EPA: Mosquito Control
• Tarrant County Public Health
• Texas A&M Agrilife Extension
• Texas Department of State Health Services -West Nile Virus in Texas
• Texas Department of Health -West Nile Virus Public Health Response Guide 2004

Other Health Related Useful Links:

• Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention
• CDC -Smoking & Tobacco Use
• EPA -Indoor Air Quality
• National Recreation & Park Association
• Notifiable Conditions -TDSHS
• State of Texas
• Stop Food Borne Illness in the US
• Texas Departmentof State Health Services
• US Consumer Product Safety Commission
• US FDA - About the Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition
• US FDA - Retail Food Protection Guidance
• US Department of Agriculture
• US Department of Agriculture -Food Safety & Inspection Service

Food Service from a Residential Kitchen

A residential kitchen may not operate as a food establishment or to store, prepare, or package food for human consumption on behalf of a food establishment.

The Texas Cottage Food Law does allow for a cottage food production operation, provided that it follows Rule 229.661 under Title 25 of the Texas Administrative Code.

To learn more about the Texas Cottage Food Law and how to begin your own cottage food production operation, an online course is available from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension at the following link.

• Cooking Up a Cottage Food Business

Food Safety Tips

• Holiday Cooking Safety Tips
• The Food Safety Temperature Chart
• How Bacteria Grows in Food
• USDA -Seasonal Food Safety
• USDA -Food Safety Education
• USDA - Pathogen Reduction & HACCP Guidance Documents

COVID-19 INFORMATION FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE ESTABLISHMENTS

Food and beverage establishments should continue to follow the sanitation and hygiene standards in the Texas Food Establishment Rules (TFER).  Ensure that sanitation of high contact surfaces and public areas occurs on an increased frequency. 

CDC Cleaning and Disinfection Recommendations can be found by clicking this link. 

Texas Restaurant Association has Coronavirus Guidance Resources available by clicking this link.

To download Reopening a Food Facility After Extended Closure, click on this link.