Food Waivers and Food Registration

PLEASE NOTE:  There is no "form" on this website that implies application for a "food waiver" to use outside food.  All parties must comply with the food waiver process outlined below in order to utilize food other than Auxiliary Enterprises or The Center for Student Businesses (CSB) food establishment food.  Student Groups are to use the Campus Pulse Registration on-line process.  All others are to contact Alyssa Rusiecki directly at: foodwaiver@ehs.umass.edu.

The University of Massachusetts Dining/Catering Services (a.k.a. Auxiliary Enterprises) and the office of Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) have oversight for University provided food served on campus. It is required that University Catering/Dining or a Center for Student Business affiliated food business provides all the food on campus. The only exception is when University Catering/Dining or a Center for Student food business is not able to provide your food. When you are requesting this exception, you must follow the Food Waiver policy and registration process and requirements found in the food waiver Considerations Chart.

Non-TCS ( Non-Time/Temperature Control for Safety) Foods

Non-TCS Foods include: Pre-packaged Retail Snacks & Commercial Doughnuts. Details include: Pre-packaged snack food, not needing heating or cooling for food safety, including commercial doughnuts and cookies from licensed food establishments.  All ingredients and allergens must be labeled.  No re-packaging allowed. The Non-TCS food events are managed by the Student Activities and Involvement (SAI) Scheduling Coordinator. Find Student Life contacts.

1. Pre-Packaged Foods

Pre-packaged foods must be purchased at a licensed commercial food establishment. 

See Factsheet here: Non-TCS food & pre-package food 

Foods Allowed Max Attendees Oversight Required Training ServSafe Volunteer to Attendee Ratio Hand Washing Electricity  Ware Washing
Pre-packaged candy, bags of chips, commercial doughnuts/cookies, bottled soda and juice.   n/a SAI n/a No 1/25 Hand sanitizing wipes acceptable No No

2. Concessions

Concessions include cotton candy and popcorn from the Student Activities office.

See Factsheet here: Concessions

Foods Allowed Max Attendees Oversight Required Training ServSafe Volunteer to Attendee Ratio Hand Washing Electricity  Ware Washing
Cotton candy and popcorn n/a SAI n/a No 1/25 Hand sanitizing wipes acceptable Yes No

3. Bake Sales

Bake Sales are for non-TCS foods only. 

See Factsheet here: Bake Sales

Foods Allowed Max Attendees Oversight Required Training ServSafe Volunteer to Attendee Ratio Hand Washing Electricity  Ware Washing
Bake sales - include cookies, brownies, doughnuts, muffins, cakes, and turnovers n/a SAI UMass Training / OWL No 1/25 Hand sanitizing wipes acceptable No No

Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) Foods

Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) Foods are foods that require time and temperature control for safety—also known as PHFs (potentially hazardous foods). TCS foods include: milk and dairy products, eggs, meat (beef, pork, and lamb), poultry, fish, shellfish and crustaceans, baked potatoes, tofu or other soy protein, sprouts and sprout seeds, sliced melons, cut tomatoes, cut fruit, cut vegetables, cut leafy greens, untreated garlic (or other herb or spice)-and-oil mixtures, and cooked rice, beans, and vegetables. 

4. Potluck: Less than 10 People

Potluck meals are communal meals in which everyone brings a small amount of food to share.

See Factsheet here: Potluck Meals

Foods Allowed Max Attendees Oversight Required Training ServSafe Volunteer to Attendee Ratio Hand Washing Electricity  Ware Washing
Unlimited < 10 people SAI

ServSafe or equivalent / Allergy

Yes 1/10 Hand sanitizing wipes acceptable Yes No

5. Simple BBQ (Barbeque assisted by Auxiliary): Less Than 100 People

Simple BBQs are same day food preparation with cook and reheat steps. No raw animal foods allowed. 

See Factsheet here:  Barbecues

Foods Allowed Max Attendees Oversight Required Training ServSafe Volunteer to Attendee Ratio Hand Washing Electricity  Ware Washing

Pre-cut watermelon, cheese, buns/rolls, water/soda, chips, condiments.

Pre-cooked sausage, hotdogs, and veggie burgers

 <100 people AUX ServSafe / Allergy (AUX) Yes 1/15 Temporary HW station set up  No Single use / single service equipment and utensils. Sanitizing wipes must be available. 

6. Complex BBQ (Barbeque assisted by Auxiliary): Less Than 100 People 

Complex BBQs are same day food preparation with cook and reheat steps.  Raw animal foods allowed. 

See Factsheet here:  Barbecues

Foods Allowed Max Attendees Oversight Required Training ServSafe Volunteer to Attendee Ratio Hand Washing Electricity  Ware Washing
Same as those foods allowed from #5 above plus pre-formed hamburgers, pre-cut pork roast or ribs, pre-cut chicken, etc.   <100 people AUX ServSafe / Allergy (AUX) Yes 1/10 Temporary HW stations with hot water. Two HW stations need for >50 attendees Yes Commercial dish machine or 3-bay sink within 100 feet. 

7. Other: (TCS Foods with Auxiliary Enterprises Assistance)

Auxiliary Assistance applies to all other TCS food events not listed above.

Foods Allowed Max Attendees Oversight Required Training ServSafe Volunteer to Attendee Ratio Hand Washing Electricity  Ware Washing
Unlimited n/a AUX Aux Trainer Chef  ServSafe & Allergy Yes Unlimited Hand washing station(s) required Yes Commercial dish machine or 3-bay sink 

8. Outside Caterer/Vendor

Catering by outside caterers/vendors must be located within a 30-minutes travel time from UMass Amherst (if supplying TCS foods), must be a licensed food establishment maintaining liability insurance for $1,000,000 and approved "Annual Caterer/Vendor Application" and "Notification" and are in compliance with 105 CMR 590.000.

See Factsheet here:  Outside Caterer/Vendor

Foods Allowed Max Attendees Oversight Required Training ServSafe Volunteer to Attendee Ratio Hand Washing Electricity  Ware Washing
Unlimited < 300 SAI/ AUX OWL for servers Yes 1/10 Hand sanitizing wipes acceptable Yes No

Contacts

  • Alyssa Rusiecki, Assistant Director for Environmental Health at 413-545-5110 or arusiecki@umass.edu
  • Student Groups and Group Members on the Food Waiver Process or Campus Pulse Process: Contact your Student Group Advisor at 413-545-3600.  For questions about your advisor or the Campus Pulse process, please contact Tom Shea at the Student Activities and Involvement Office at tashea@umass.edu.
  • Non-Student Groups and Other Non-Student Engagement, SGA (Student Government Association), and GSS (Graduate Student Senate) Requests: Send an email request to foodwaiver@ehs.umass.edu.  

Student Food Safety Owl Training

Login here for OWL food safety training

AUX ServSafe Manager Training

For ServSafe Manager Training: Contact Auxiliary Enterprises Administrative Assistant, Kara Leistyna at 413-545-2472, or email kleistyna@umass.edu.

Campus Pulse Submittal Process

Campus Pulse for Food Waivers

If you are requesting a Bake Sale fund-raiser, go to Training (on this EH&S website), OWL trainings, and pick Bake Sale food safety training.  All food handlers must have their Certificates of Completion so that they can be uploaded or emailed to ehsfoodwaiver@umass.edu in order to complete submittal.  Selling commercially prepared and pre-packaged doughnuts does not require the completion of O.W.L. Bake Sale food safety training.

1) Campus Pulse Home website

2) Go to the student group’s Campus Pulse page, create an event

3) Then submit the event form, answering all food related questions and upload or email the training certificates.