Artesia News

Cart vendors pose health risks

There are few things in life that involve as much trust as eating food prepared by someone else.

The Center for Disease Control estimates that foodborne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses; 325,000 hospitalizations; and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year. Up to 40 percent of the cases are generated in the home kitchen.

The home is usually where street vendors prepare their food. Street vendors are supposed to be licensed under the Food and Drug Administration, but there are still plenty of people who try to operate without a license.

The most irresponsible of unlicensed street vendors do so in order to obtain drugs or alcohol. Some have even been reported to use their WIC or food stamps to purchase their street vendor items.

If a person wants to purchase food from a street vendor, he/she should check if the vendor has a license.