BUREAU OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 

FOOD SAFETY PROGRAM

BUREAU OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

The Food Safety Program works to ensure food sold or served in the City of Long Beach is safe, wholesome, properly labeled and produced under sanitary conditions.

Environmental Health Specialists work to protect public health by:

• Permitting and inspecting food facilities
• Enforcing state and local food safety regulations
• Reviewing plans and conducting construction progress inspections
• Investigating public complaints related to food facilities
• Educating on food handlers and food facility operators
• Promoting food safety prevention practices to reduce risk of foodborne illness

• RETAIL FOOD FACILITIES

  Retail food facilities include but are not limited to restaurants, markets, bakeries, bars, cafeterias, meat and fish processors, coffee shops, and convenience stores.

• TEMPORARY FOOD FACILITIES

  Temporary food facilities are those operating during a community special event.

• COTTAGE FOOD OPERATION

   A Cottage Food Operation manufactures and sells specific low-risk food products from a private home. 

• PLAN CHECK

  New food facilities, remodels or equipment changes to existing food facilities require plans and specifications to be submitted for review and approval before construction begins. .

• MOBILE FOOD FACILITIES

  Compact Mobile food facilities Operations (CMFO’s) include catering trucks, ice cream trucks, trailers and carts  that sell food.

• MEHKO

  Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation is a permitted home-based food business.

• ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS & SERVICES

  • Limited Service Charitable Feeding Operation
  • Catering/Host/Shared Kitchen Operation
  • Fish Contamination
  • Filing Foodborne Illness Complaints
  • Food Facility Inspections

• CODES & LAWS

  • California Retail Food Code
  • Sherman Food, Drug, and Labeling Law
  • Municipal Code

• USEFUL LINKS

  • California Department of Public Health
  • California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
  • CDFA Dairy Safety Providers
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
  • U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • Service Animal FAQ

• RECALLS

  • Food and Safety Recalls

• RESOURCES

  • Food Safety Manual
  • ANSI Food Handler Certification
  • Food Safety During Power Outage  
  • Food Manager Certificate 
  • Unpermitted Food Vendors

• INFORMATION BULLETINS

  • FDA Menu Labeling /Final Rule
  • Pet Dogs on Outdoor Dining Patios
  • Information Bulletins Page

• BROCHURES & POSTER

  • Food Inspection Program (English)/(Spanish)
  • Dog-Friendly Patio Sign
  • Cooling Techniques
  • Cooking and Holding Temperature Requirements
  • Safe Surplus Food Donation
  • CRU Sidewalk Vending 2026-English

• FAQ

  • Frequently Asked Questions Page