(WHTM) – Summer-like weather has arrived in Pennsylvania and streets will soon be filled with the memorable music of childhood, ice cream trucks.

But who makes sure that these creameries on wheels are legit and safe for our frozen treats?

Ice cream trucks are designated as “Mobile Food Facilities,” by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The mobile food facilities which in themselves are broken down into four types and, according to the Department of Agriculture, an ice cream truck could fall into a couple of different categories.

One type is for “commercially processed packaged food in its original package” such as packaged ice cream that is just stored and held for sale. If the truck prepares and serves unpackaged food that they store, prepare, cook, and serve (such as shaved ice or hot dogs) they fall under a different category.

In Pennsylvania, you can not operate a mobile food facility where food is served to the public without a license from the Department of Agriculture. You also need to provide supporting documentation including a menu, list of equipment, food employee certification, and a sales tax license or proof of application. In some cases, a local health department will issue a license.

Pennsylvania has been regulating ice cream trucks for decades and lawmakers have taken efforts to expand that oversight. In 1983 a bill was introduced to define “frozen dessert trucks” as “Every motor vehicle in which frozen desserts are carried for purposes of retail sale on the streets of this Commonwealth.”

The bill, which did not face any votes, attempted to define frozen desserts as “Ice cream, frozen custard, French ice cream, French custard ice cream, sherbet, fruit sherbet, ice milk, ice, water ice, nonfruit sherbets, nonfruit water ices, freezer made milk shakes, quiescently frozen confection, quiescently frozen dairy confection, whipped cream confection, bisque tortoni, artificially sweetened ice cream, artificially sweetened ice milk, special frozen dietary foods, frozen yogurt and mellorine frozen desserts, as all of these products are commonly known, together with any such mix used in frozen desserts and any products which are similar in appearance, odor or taste to such products or are prepared or frozen as such products are customarily prepared or frozen whether made with dairy or nondairy products and ice flavored with syrup.”

In 2023 state lawmakers rescinded the “frozen dessert law” that defined frozen desserts while also “prevent[ing] deception in the sale of frozen desserts,” and ensured that “there may be free movement of frozen desserts between the states.”