What information must be on the label of a sandwich to be held in a self-service unit?

When food is packaged in an operation for retail sale, such as a sandwich in a self-service unit, the label must contain an accurate ingredient list. This is a critical food safety requirement to inform consumers of what is in the food, which is especially important for individuals with food allergies or dietary restrictions. The label must list ingredients and sub-ingredients in descending order by weight. This helps prevent allergic reactions, which can be a serious public health issue.

A. Preparer's name: This is not a food safety requirement for consumer labeling; internal logs are used for traceability.

B. Preparation time: A "use-by" date is required for TCS foods, but the specific time of preparation is not mandated on the label.

D. Retail price: This is a business and sales requirement, not a food safety labeling requirement mandated by health codes.

- ServSafe Manager, 7th Edition. National Restaurant Association. Chapter 5, "The Flow of Food: An Introduction," page 5.17. The section on labeling food packaged on-site for retail sale specifies the need for an ingredient list.

- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2017). Food Code. Section 3-602.11(B)(4), "Food Labels," requires a list of ingredients and sub-ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight for food packaged in a food establishment.

- Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. (2019). Food Product Labeling Basics. This resource outlines FDA labeling requirements, emphasizing the mandatory nature of the ingredient statement for consumer protection.