PHOENIX — After recent reported illnesses, Maricopa County health officials are warning Valley residents about the dangers of eating food from unpermitted vendors.
The Environmental Services department has received 17 reports of adults with diarrhea and vomiting after eating from a “specific group of unpermitted street vendors” in the last several weeks.
Officials say the operators of the street vendors were contacted about the allegations and food code violations found during inspections. However, “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.”
While officials did not provide the names of the vendors involved in the legal action, they provided the following information to the public:
“The vendors in question are generally set up near sidewalks and in parking lots promoting the sale of 'tacos al pastor.' The 'tacos al pastor' meat is set up on a vertical rotisserie called a 'trompo' or spinning top. The meat is shaved directly from the rotisserie into the taco. If the trompo is set up outdoors with temporary equipment (i.e., popup tent, folding tables), it is likely to be unpermitted and may have the potential to cause illness.”
The department is urging the public to only eat food from permitted vendors who are required to display a Maricopa County permit plate and have a permit card. The permits require the vendors to follow food safety and hygiene practices and obtain food from approved sources.
Pinal County officials are also warning the public “about an increase in unauthorized food vendors throughout the County.”
Officials say purchasing the food from unpermitted vendors “poses a high risk of serious foodborne illness due to unsanitary conditions and should be avoided.”
The county’s public health department is reportedly partnering with other agencies to address the issue of unauthorized food vendors.
If you have concerns about a food operation or become ill from eating at a food establishment or street vendor in Maricopa County, you are encouraged to contact the department at 602-506-6616 or visit Maricopa.gov/Enviro to submit your complaint electronically.
If you have any questions or concerns or want to report an unpermitted vendor in Pinal County, please contact Environmental Health at 520-866-6864.
