Beware Of Illegal Food Vendors
Written by admin, Apr 12, 2012, 0 Comments
Courtesy Xochitl Mora,
In Particular, Ice Cream
Laredo, TX—As warm weather approaches we tend to see illegal food vendors and want to caution the public to only purchase food from authorized and permitted vendors.
The City of Laredo Health Department (CLHD) wants the public to know currently there are illegal ice cream vendors that we are monitoring as they are using illegal lead based containers which can be harmful to one’s health especially to children (from gastrointestinal problems, irritability, learning disorders to muscle and nervous system complications). Recently we have confiscated six (6) containers made of steel (see pictures) and want the public to know that it is dangerous to buy and eat the ice cream from these vendors who do not have any permit from the health department to sell food and they are using illegal lead based containers to store the ice cream.
Finally we want to remind the public that the CLHD has a strong food safety, surveillance and enforcement program to assure that the public is safe when they purchase any food item from food establishments and mobile food vendors. All food vendors must apply for a permit which means they have been inspected by a CLHD Sanitarian. All food handlers of that establishment and mobile vendors must also have food handlers training and a permit as well a food manager has to have been trained on food handling, food management, cooking temperatures, food safety, food storage and food preparation. This is all part of our food safety and foodborne disease prevention services.
Each year we prevent foodborne illness (diarrhea, vomiting, food poisoning and other infections) through inspections and training of food vendors. So we caution the public not to buy from unauthorized illegal food vendors. They must a permit in full view issued during the current year.
For more information please contact the City of Laredo Health Department at (956) 795-4904, 795-4935 or 795-4938.
