Food Safety for Events and Activities: Page# 1 Revised: February 17, 2023
Food Safety for Events and Activities
Procedures & Guidelines
The procedures and guidelines listed below apply to all organizations and/or individuals that provide
food and/or beverages or any related services to Mason faculty, staff, students, or their guests at an
event/activity on George Mason property.
Definitions
CATERING:
Catering is the activity of providing food and/or drink for a group of people. Catering can be provided
by either a caterer or a food provider. Catering can be paid with a Mason P-Card (F&B lift required
prior to purchase) or billed directly to the university through a Purchase Order. Catering activities must
not conflict with university contracts and will comply with all University policy, procedures, and all
applicable federal, state, and local law.
APPROVED CATERER:
A caterer is an entity that provides catering. A caterer, by definition, must control the entire food and/or
drink process from start to finish (storage, preparation, cooking, delivery, and distribution). If the process
is not continuous (examples: grocery store purchases, pizza, and similar delivery services), they are
considered a Food Provider. Only caterers that are on the Approved Caterer List at the time of the
order or activity may provide catering for on campus activities.
Catering Vendor:
A Catering Vendor is defined as a caterer participating in the act of vending sales. All
events and activities with a Catering Vendor must follow University Policy 1110 (Vending
Sales and Solicitation).
AUTHORIZED FOOD PROVIDER:
An Authorized Food Provider is a commercially licensed business where prepared food and/or
beverage is packaged and available for take-away consumption including but not limited to: a grocery
store, supermarket, restaurant, drive-thru, cafe, coffee shop, snack shop, convenience store, or similar
fixed place. A food provider differs from a caterer in that the food provider does not distribute food to
the customer for consumption. All food and/or drink must be provided in their final form from the food
provider (raw materials cannot be combined, mixed, cooked to make different product) for distribution.
The event/activity organizer is responsible to ensure all standard food handling safety protocols are
followed.
Approved Caterers and Authorized Food Providers
• An Approved Caterer or an Authorized Food Provider must be used for all events and activities
to ensure the health and safety of all event participants. The list of approved caterers is available
online at Approved Caterers. If your preferred caterer is not an Approved Caterer, they must
complete the Approved Caterer Process prior to any orders. This process can take up to two
weeks. Note: Any grill or other cooking appliance that is not for personal use must be approved
by the Environmental, Health and Safety Office for the location being used.
• If food is not fully prepared and served by the Approved Caterer from start to finish (storage,
preparation, cooking, delivery, and distribution) then one must follow the procedures outlined in
EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES NOT USING APPROVED CATERERS below.
Food Safety for Events and Activities: Page# 2 Revised: February 17, 2023
Event and Activities Not Using Approved Caterers
1. Events
Events and activities with food that has NOT been prepared and distributed from start to finish
(stored, prepped, cooked, delivered, and distributed) directly by an Approved Caterer must use an
Authorized Food Provider and adhere to the following guidelines:
• All food and/or drink distributed must be commercially prepared (no “home-baked” goods) and
should be individually sealed/pre-packaged by the Authorized Food Provider.
• Beverages provided in bulk serving containers are allowed only if they are procured from an
Approved Caterer or Authorized Food Provider.
• An 8.5” x 11” (or larger) sign must be placed on all tables and areas where an event participant
will receive food. The sign must be easily read and state “This food is not provided by a George
Mason Approved Caterer. Consume at your own risk.” (Sample Sign Attached Below)
• If food is not individually sealed/pre-packaged by the Authorized Food Provider, then appropriate
food handling standards must be followed. An example would be distributing individual
donuts/pizza slices from a commercially packaged box.
• Any products and/or services sold or given away must not directly compete with the University’s
current contracts which include, but not limited to: Sodexo Food Services, Coke Vending
Company, Canteen Vending Company, Panda Express, Manhattan Pizza, Chipotle and Panera
Bread.
2. Kiosks/Tabling and Fundraising Activities
For Kiosk and Tabling reservations that involve the distribution of food and/or drink an Authorized
Food Provider(s) must be used and the organization must follow the following guidelines:
• All food and/or drink distributed must be commercially prepared (no “home-baked” goods) and
should be individually sealed/pre-packaged by the Authorized Food Provider.
• Beverages provided in bulk serving containers are allowed only if they are procured from an
Approved Caterer or Authorized Food Provider.
• An 8.5” x 11” (or larger) sign must be placed on all tables and areas where an event participant
will receive food. The sign must be easily read and state “This food is not provided by a George
Mason Approved Caterer. Consume at your own risk.” (Sample Sign Attached Below)
• If food is not individually sealed/pre-packaged by the Authorized Food Provider, then appropriate
food handling standards must be followed. An example would be distributing individual
donuts/pizza slices from a commercially packaged box.
• Any products and/or services sold or given away must not directly compete with the University’s
current contracts which include, but not limited to: Sodexo Food Services, Coke Vending
Company, Canteen Vending Company, Panda Express, Manhattan Pizza, Chipotle and Panera
Bread.
Food Safety for Events and Activities: Page# 3 Revised: February 17, 2023
3. Potlucks
“Potluck” style food provided by staff is allowed for meetings/lunches/birthdays, etc. when only
departmental staff is attending in an enclosed space. Meetings that include staff from other
departments must use the approved catering and authorized food provider procedures.
“Potluck” style food provided by Student Organization (RSO, DSO, …) members is allowed when a
Student Organization has a finite list of members and only their members are attending. Meetings
that include people not on the Student Organization membership list must use the approved catering
procedures.
Potlucks are required to follow the following guidelines. Individuals of any Organization or
Department providing food that are not authorized or approved as stated above may be held
personally liable for the food provided and may be sued in the court of law.
• An 8.5” x 11” (or larger) sign must be placed on all tables and areas where an event participant
will receive food. The sign must be easily read and state “This food is not provided by a George
Mason Approved Caterer. Consume at your own risk.” (Sample Sign Attached Below)
• Organization is responsible for ensuring proper food handling standards are followed.
4. Grilling/Cooking on Campus
Organizations and/or Individuals that adhere to the procedures stated are allowed to conduct outdoor
grilling only in approved locations. All grills installed on campus are for personal use only. Any grill
or other cooking appliance that is not for personal use must be approved by the Environmental,
Health and Safety Office.
• Charcoal is the only fuel source that is approved to be used in outdoor grills; compressed natural
gas or propane grills are prohibited, except for commercial purposes as deemed necessary by
EHS-Fire Safety.
• Grills must be at least twenty feet from any building, or structure (which includes tents, umbrellas,
or amusement devices), and should not be near the air intake vents on a building.
• A minimum of one (1) five-pound ABC fire extinguisher must be within ten feet of each grill. EHS-
Fire Safety has extinguishers to lend for this purpose.
• Hot grills must never be left unattended.
• Grills must be maintained as per the manufacturer’s specifications.
• Ashes must be completely cool before disposal.
• Ashes must be disposed of in a metal trash can or container. Ashes may not be placed cool or
hot in any plastic container or trash receptacle, including dumpsters.
• Any grill or other cooking appliance that is not for personal use must be approved by the
Environmental, Health and Safety Office for the location being used.
Food Safety for Events and Activities: Page# 4 Revised: February 17, 2023
