Expand / Collapse search
☰

Maricopa County taking action against illegal food vendors amid reports of illnesses

By
Published  August 27, 2024 1:22pm MST
Health
FOX 10 Phoenix

Maricopa Co. takes action against street vendors

Officials in Maricopa County allege that a number of unpermitted food vendors are to blame for over a dozen reports of illnesses in recent weeks. Officials did not name the vendors they believe are responsible.

PHOENIX - Maricopa County officials are warning people to not eat food from street vendors operating without a permit, after over a dozen people fell ill within the last few weeks.

Per a statement released Monday, officials with the county's Environmental Services Department say they received reports of 17 people experiencing various gastrointestinal ailments after eating from a group of unpermitted street vendors.

"MCESD has contacted the operators regarding the allegations and food code violations noted during complaint inspections. Due to the operators’ lack of cooperation in addressing and resolving this matter, the department has initiated legal action to address the unpermitted food stands," read a portion of the statement. The county says vendors were told about health violations, but the problems were not fixed, so the county is now taking legal action.

While officials with the Environmental Services Department did not name any vendors, they did say the vendors typically set up a pop-up tent or folding table on the sidewalk or in parking lots, and sell tacos al pastor with the meat on a rotisserie. The department also detailed a number of alleged unsafe and/or unhealthy food handling practices, including:

  • Storing food items on the "trompo," or a vertical rotisserie, in a garbage bag with no temperature control
  • Storing unrefrigerated meat in a broken container
  • Transporting food and beverages un an unsanitary manner
  • Preparing exposed raw meat with no handwashing

"It is important to note that the businesses implicated in these illness reports should not be confused with the vast majority of street food vendors, including taco stands, that employ safe food practices," read a portion of the statement.

Officials with the Environmental Services Department say they believe the safest practice is to buy food from permitted vendors.

"Permits issued by MCESD require vendors to follow basic food safety practices, such as handwashing, maintaining proper food temperatures, and obtaining food from approved sources, which reduces the risk of foodborne illness," read a portion of the statement.