Dallas County details mobile food permitting, inspections and complaint process for Garland-area vendors

Annalisa Griffith, interim assistant director for Environmental Health at Dallas County, outlined the county’s mobile food unit permitting process at the Garland meeting, saying the county’s packet and web portal cover “application, appointment, location, processing, inspection, and permits and payments.”

Griffith told the group the county asks vendors to complete an online application and bring a commissary agreement, food-service permit for the commissary site, a food manager certification and evidence of sales-tax registration to their inspection appointment. “We always want them to call our office first to schedule it,” Griffith said, and listed the department phone number as 214-819-2115.

The county explained the inspection checks specific temperatures and equipment. Griffith said inspectors check that the hand-sink water reaches about 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the three-compartment sink registers about 110 degrees, and refrigeration is 41 degrees or below. She said inspections typically take 30 minutes to an hour because inspectors verify refrigeration and hot-water systems. “A lot of times people don't bring gas and they run out of gas, or they don't have enough water in their mobile unit, so they don't have enough water for us to test the hot water,” she said.

Griffith and staff…