Food trucks, festival stalls, market traders and mobile catering units are some of the busiest food businesses in Ireland - and some of the trickiest to run safely. Limited space, intermittent power, variable water supply and changing pitch locations make HACCP control demanding. This article shows how operators do it well.
What the regulator expects from a mobile unit
Mobile units are food businesses under EC Regulation 852/2004 - the same HACCP duty applies as to any restaurant. Local authorities issue the registration; the FSAI provides national guidance. EHOs visit unannounced at events as well as at the home depot.
Pre-event preparation - the day before
- Calibrate every probe.
- Defrost and refresh fridge / freezer.
- Top up water tanks with potable water.
- Clean and sanitise all contact surfaces.
- Stock chemicals and consumables (gloves, blue plasters, sanitiser).
- Print monitoring sheets for the event.
On-site setup
- Connect to power if available; verify fridge temperature within 30 minutes.
- Set up dedicated wash-hand basin with hot water and soap.
- Separate prep sink for food rinsing only.
- Bait stations or insect-light trap at depot - cleared before event.
- Clear gas safety check on cylinder and connections.
CCPs typical in a food truck
- Cold storage - 5°C fridge / -18°C freezer.
- Cooking - 75°C core for high-risk items.
- Hot hold - 63°C minimum during service.
- Hand hygiene - dedicated basin, no shortcuts.
- Allergen management - simplified menu reduces complexity.
Records you bring with you
- HACCP plan (clip on wall or in waterproof folder).
- Daily monitoring sheet for the event.
- Probe calibration log.
- Allergen matrix.
- Supplier specifications and delivery notes.
- Cleaning sign-off.
- Staff training records, including HACCP certificates.
Water and waste
Use only potable water (mains-fed or from a verified tank cleaned regularly). Document tank cleaning. Use sealed greywater containers and dispose at the depot. EHOs probe water quality at festival inspections.
Power management
Generators or shore power must be reliable enough to maintain refrigeration through the event. Build a backup plan: an unannounced 2-hour outage should not turn into discarded stock if you can move product to a chilled cool box. Log any interruption.
Allergens in a food-truck context
Keep menus short - 5-8 items - and document allergens for each one. Display the allergen matrix prominently at the order point. Train every food handler on the 14 EU allergens. A short online HACCP course with same-day certificate covers this efficiently for a 2-3 person operation.
Closing down at the end of the event
- Cool any remaining hot food rapidly - or discard.
- Probe-record the final fridge temperatures.
- Sanitise all contact surfaces.
- Empty grease, water and waste at the depot.
- Sign off the day\'s monitoring sheet.
The compliance bottom line
Food trucks that pass inspection treat every event as a mini commercial kitchen, with the same HACCP rigour scaled to the space. The discipline pays off: trusted operators get repeat festival pitches, longer trading slots and word-of-mouth referrals across the Irish events circuit.
