NOT FOUND: mobile food.jpgAre fresh cut fruit cups, baskets of bright red strawberries, or prepared foods such as homemade tamales sold from a mobile cart safe to eat? How would you know?
You can find unpermitted mobile food vendors on street corners throughout Sacramento County. Most have makeshift carts that are little more than a cabinet on wheels. One of the most common unpermitted fruit vending operations use a distinctive rainbow umbrella and sell fruit sliced and assembled on carts with no hand washing or refrigeration. These carts can be found in front of schools, at parks during league events, and even outside of churches. Some unpermitted vendors sell produce out of their car trunk or pickup truck.
The food prepared and sold by unpermitted vendors may not be kept hot or cold enough; they may not have hot water, soap, and paper towels to wash their hands or utensils; and they do not have access to a restroom. Many foods, including cut fruit, can grow bacteria such as Salmonella if not kept at temperatures below 41° F. Hot foods such as tamales and roasted corn must be kept at 135° F or hotter.
Elderly people and small children are more likely to become ill from contaminated food, says John Rogers, Sacramento County Environmental (EMD) Health Division Chief. “Lack of a hand wash sink means unwashed hands, and unwashed hands are the leading cause of food contamination. Don’t take the risk – you could become very ill.”
Vendors with a permit to sell food means they have been inspected by EMD and meet health and safety code requirements.
EMD estimates there are hundreds of unpermitted mobile food vendors throughout the County, and the numbers are increasing. With the downturn in the economy, many people are looking for a way to make ends meet, and often a food cart seems like a quick and easy way to earn additional income.
Produce sold by these vendors may be stolen, but often it is purchased from a produce market at reduced rates because it has limited shelf life, says Frank Carl, Sacramento County’s Agricultural Commissioner. “Transient vendors compete with local producers and businesses that are working hard to produce a fresh wholesome local product.”
Dan Best, coordinator of Certified Farmers' Markets of Sacramento, points out these are not local farmers. “The buying public is constantly being misled that these itinerant peddlers are local farmers selling their local harvest. They purposely set up a block or two from a local strawberry farmer’s farm stand and sell berries from Mexico.”
So what is EMD doing about unpermitted mobile food vendors in Sacramento County? They have launched a summer public education campaign intended to alert the public to the risks associated with eating foods sold by unpermitted vendors. EMD also urges everyone to look for the permit sticker before buying food or produce from vendors. The 2010 sticker is green.
If you see an unpermitted mobile vendor in the same location more than once, call EMD at (916) 875-8440 to report it. Be sure to include the time of day and location where the vendor can be found. For more information, go to www.emd.saccounty.net.
Remember: Look for a Sacramento County permit sticker. If in doubt, keep walking. It is not worth the risk!
If you have questions please contact Alicia Enriquez, Environmental Management Health Division Manager, at 875-8566 or email Enriqueza@saccounty.net.