Foods that often cause food poisoning
Studies show that one in six Americans suffers from food poisoning from contaminated food. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, certain types of food are more prone to causing illness than others.
The Republic
The Maricopa County Department of Environmental Quality issued an alert Monday morning advising residents not to consume food from unauthorized street vendors after 17 people were reported to have suffered vomiting and diarrhea after doing so.
The authority said it had contacted the suppliers about the allegations and discovered numerous violations of food regulations during an inspection.
“Due to the lack of cooperation from operators in addressing and resolving this matter, the department has initiated legal action against the unauthorized food vendors,” the agency said in a statement. “In addition, MCESD has determined that direct community outreach is necessary to reduce the risk of foodborne illness to the public.”
The agency said the offending food trucks were typically set up near sidewalks and parking lots and sold tacos al pastor, with the meat stored on a vertical rotisserie and cut directly into the taco by employees. If the vertical rotisserie, or “trompo,” is set up outdoors with makeshift equipment such as a pop-up tent or folding table, it is likely in violation of regulations.
MCESD stressed that the public should not confuse these businesses with “the vast majority of street food vendors, including taco stands, that use safe food practices” and recommended that people only purchase food from businesses that have the appropriate permits.
District officials did not disclose the names of the unauthorized companies or the district areas in which they operated.
The agency urges anyone who is concerned about a food vendor or who has become ill from eating at a food establishment to contact the agency by phone at 602-506-6616 or visit Maricopa.gov/Enviro.
