Inspectors Crack Down On Illegal Food Vendors

It’s cheap eats, but those mobile food vendors aren’t always legal. On Tuesday, some found that out the hard way.

“There are always people here,” Ana Valles said. “They’re always people here selling burritos.”

The problem is Valles is the only with the proper certification and permission to sell food.

“It bothers me, yes, because I have to throw all my food away, whatever is left over,” Valles said.

Food safety program manager, David Sublasky, said every time there is an economic down fall, there is an increase in illegal vending. Sublasky also noted the area by University Medical Center is a hot spot for business.

“There’s a hundred construction workers on the site everyday,” Sublasky said.

Other vendors have to have a permit and a license to sell food and they have to stay at least 1,000 feet away from Valles’ location. If not, they face hundreds of dollars in fines.

Inspectors do not just hand out citations. They also have some unusual approaches to make sure food sold illegally ends up in the trash.

“We can pour bleach all over those burritos. Who’s going to want to eat a soggy burrito?” Sublasky said. “If i have a pot of menudo, take a shovel full of sand, pour it in there, that’s it. Nobody can use it anymore.”

Sublasky said it’s better than the alternative.

“What would we do? Say go ahead and take it this time and then here comes someone with salmonella,” Sublasky said.