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Buffet food safety, potluck guidelines, bed bug prevention |
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Compliance Corner provides updates, education, awareness and more to businesses with a Ramsey County food, lodging, manufactured home park or pool license.
Keep food safe at hotel breakfast buffets
Self-service operations—such as breakfast buffets and corner markets—are common at hotels. Use this quick guide to help keep food safe and your customers and employees healthy.
Read more.
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Renew your license by Dec. 31.
2025 license renewal applications for lodging, manufactured home parks and food were recently sent out via email. Submit your license renewal application and license fee by Dec. 31 to avoid a late fee.
Q&A: Potlucks at licensed establishments
Question: Are guests allowed to bring a dish to share at a social event, such as a football game or holiday party, at a licensed food establishment, like a VFW or American Legion?
Answer: Yes, as long as the situation meets the definition of a potluck. According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), a potluck is defined as a meal at which guests bring food to share with others. Potlucks are exempt from food licensing (a) if the food is brought by the people attending and (b) is not prepared or brought into the licensed establishment’s kitchen.
Follow these food safety measures at your next potluck:
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- People who are ill with vomiting and diarrhea should not prepare or handle food.
- Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Reheat and cool foods quickly.
- Keep raw meat away from ready-to-eat foods.
- Use clean utensils with each new food.
- Encourage attendees to wash hands before setting up and at any point contamination occurs (e.g., after using the restroom, contact with raw foods, contact with guests, etc.).
Ultimately, food safety at a potluck starts with the attendees! Communicate the above practices to ensure a safe and healthy potluck.
Learn more about food safety at potlucks
How to identify, manage and avoid bed bugs
Bed bugs are small red-brown insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals. They are found where people sleep, eat and spend time, such as homes, apartments, hotels, libraries, offices and other public spaces. Bed bugs are known for their “hitchhiking and hiding” abilities. They are moved easily by travelers and hide within everyday items.
How to check for bed bugs: Thoroughly inspect all areas of your facility, especially on mattresses, box springs and furniture, behind wallpaper, picture frames and clocks, and under the edges of carpets and rugs. Look for the bugs themselves (see description), dark blood spots on bedding, and cast skins (empty shells from molting).
What to do if you have bed bugs: Don’t panic. Contact a professional pest control service, as infestations are difficult to eliminate yourself. In addition, contact your Ramsey County health inspector, who can provide guidance and next steps.
Tips to avoid bed bugs:
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- Regularly inspect your facility for infestations.
- Educate staff on identifying bed bugs.
- Develop an action plan to respond to infestations quickly and communicate with guests/residents effectively.
- Do not bring furniture, mattresses, box springs or bed frames found on the street into your facility.
- Seal cracks and crevices around plumbing and wiring to prevent bed bugs from traveling to other hotel rooms/apartments.
Learn more about bed bugs
Image credit: University of Minnesota Extension
Prevent sex trafficking in hotels, motels
Hotels, motels and short-term rentals are common places for sex trafficking. Staff at these facilities are key players in addressing sex trafficking in all Minnesota communities. By learning the signs of sex trafficking and how to respond, staff can help prevent sex trafficking and save lives.
In 2018, Minnesota enacted the Sex Trafficking Prevention Training Law, which requires lodging facility staff to complete training on how to identify and respond to sex trafficking. To comply with the law, all owners, managers and onsite employees must complete the required state training within 90 days of hire and retake it annually. Training records must be kept and available upon request. Hotels with their own sex trafficking prevention training still need to take the training provided by the state. Finally, the state-provided “back of house” training poster must be displayed in a location where all staff will see it.
Learn more about this law and access the training
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Rebates available for lead-free fishing tackle. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency offers retail establishments up to $3,000 in rebates on purchases of lead-free tackle for sale to consumers. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Learn more.
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Looking to obtain or renew your Minnesota Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM)? Use the Minnesota Department of Health’s search tool to explore course and exam listings. Filter by location, virtual offerings, language and instructor. Search for CFPM courses.
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Consider serving on Ramsey County’s Business Advisory Council. This group provides feedback on licensing and inspection procedures for hazardous waste, food, lodging, manufactured home parks and public pools. Learn more and submit an interest form.
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The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency offers 0% interest loans up to $75,000 to small businesses to improve their business practices to meet or exceed environmental regulations. Loans can be used for contaminated site cleanups or projects that reduce onsite air emissions or waste generation. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Learn more.
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Tuesday, Dec. 31
License renewal applications and license fees due for lodging, food and manufactured home parks.
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Food and vending licensing
Resources for licensed food businesses including requirements, applications and food safety information.
Public swimming pool licensing
Resources for licensed swimming pools including regulations, license requirements and signage information.
Lodging and manufactured home parks licensing
Resources for licensed hotels and manufactured home parks including license requirements, applications and code regulations.
Food safety fact sheets
The Minnesota Department of Health publishes fact sheets on a variety of topics related to food safety.
Food waste diversion program
Ramsey County offers license discounts to food establishments who help keep food out of the waste stream.
BizRecycling
BizRecycling provides grants to businesses, apartment buildings, schools, colleges, food shelves and farmers markets to reduce waste and improve recycling.
Inspector Territories
Lori Green
Falcon Heights, Lauderdale, Mounds View, New Brighton, Saint Anthony, ISD 621
Mike Crider
Roseville (west of Snelling Ave), ISD 623
Noah Stickler
Gem Lake, White Bear Lake, White Bear Township, Vadnais Heights, ISD 624
Baigal Tsolmon
Arden Hills, North Oaks, Ramsey County Facilities (Saint Paul), Shoreview
McKenna Haas
Little Canada, North St. Paul, Roseville (east of Snelling Ave), ISD 622
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