I called the company that runs our bridal shows to get all my ducks in a row for the future. I asked if cake shops were allowed to hand out samples. She said yes, but warned me that the Health Department showed up last year and busted some of the cake shops. I guess in Indiana or my city at least you need to purchase a temporary food permit to hand out food samples. Here they cost $35.
Just a little FYI. 
I called the company that runs our bridal shows to get all my ducks in a row for the future. I asked if cake shops were allowed to hand out samples. She said yes, but warned me that the Health Department showed up last year and busted some of the cake shops. I guess in Indiana or my city at least you need to purchase a temporary food permit to hand out food samples. Here they cost $35.
Just a little FYI.
Even if you're already health licensed? Is this in addition to that? If so, this is good info .... I wasn't aware of that.
In IN the health dept rules vary from county to county though most have very similar laws.
In Elkhart county if you have a licensed shop you did NOT need the temp one. The health dept told me I was the only participant that didn't need the special one day permit because bakery products are not considered hazardous.
The ONLY way we could hand out samples was to have them in lidded cups already made up in our licensed shop. It took me 2 days to cut & cup some 800 samples of cake.
Also when at the show, the cups had to be in a container (bus tray) 4" off the floor.
Add'l FYI ..... I finally remembered to ask about this. My health inspector (may differ from county to county) said that if I am handing out cake samples that were made and packaged in my kitchen, then I'm ok with the license I have. If I hand out hot foods (i.e. I'm sampling for the catering side of the biz), then I need a special permit for that, in addition to my regular license.
Down here when I participate in a fair or festival, I have to purchase additional permits
it's the same here - you need a temporary permit to serve the samples at a wedding show.
The show I do includes the form for the permit in with all the other forms though, so it
s no big secret or surprise. Simple!
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