Maricopa takes action against street vendors
Maricopa County officials blame a large number of unlicensed food vendors for more than a dozen reported illnesses in recent weeks. Authorities did not name the vendor believed to be responsible.
phoenix – Maricopa County officials are warning residents not to eat food from unlicensed street vendors after more than a dozen people became ill in the past few weeks.
In a statement released Monday, county Department of Environmental Services officials said they received reports of 17 people suffering from various gastrointestinal illnesses after eating from a group of unauthorized street vendors. .
“The MCESD contacted the management regarding the allegations and food code violations noted during the complaint inspection.Due to the lack of cooperation from the management in addressing and resolving this issue, the department has taken steps to address the unauthorized food stand. “We have started legal action against them,” it reads in part. of a statement. The county said the vendors were notified of the health violations, but the issue was not resolved and legal action is now being taken.
Environmental Services officials declined to name the vendors, but they typically set up pop-up tents or folding tables on sidewalks or parking lots and sell tacos al pastor with meat on a rotisserie. He said there was. Department too be familiar with A number of alleged unsafe and/or unhealthy food handling practices, including:
- Storing food on a “trompo” or vertical rotary broiler in garbage bags without temperature control.
- Do not refrigerate meat in broken containers
- Transporting food or drinks in an unsanitary manner
- Cooking exposed raw meat without washing hands
The statement reads in part: “We recognize that the companies involved in reporting these illnesses should not be confused with the majority of street food vendors, including taco stands, who employ safe food practices. It is important to be careful.”
Environmental Services officials said they believe it is safest to buy food from licensed vendors.
“Permits issued by MCESD require vendors to follow basic food safety practices, such as washing hands, maintaining proper food temperatures, and obtaining food from approved sources, which helps prevent foodborne illnesses. Risk is reduced,” the statement reads in part.
