Arizona health officials warn of invasion by rogue food vendors

PHOENIX (AZ Family) — Health officials in Maricopa and Pima counties are warning consumers to avoid a group of sidewalk food stands that have sickened at least two dozen people across the state.

The vendors appear to have come to Arizona from California and are not licensed to sell prepared meals in any of the state’s largest counties.

Andy Linton, director of Maricopa County’s Department of Environmental Services, says 20 to 30 of these vendors have set up shop throughout the Valley.

“The biggest concern for us is that they are operating without basic food safety requirements,” Linton said.

Maricopa County investigators executed at least one search warrant after 17 people reported falling ill in July.

That number rose to 23 people shortly after, but Linton says many people who get sick from eating bad or contaminated food don’t report it to health officials.

“If we got 17 complaints, there’s usually a lot, a lot more getting sick in the community,” Linton said.

Maricopa County officials have issued a cease and desist order, but they believe the vendors are selling food in the community.

Pima County health officials have seen them, too.

“We think they’re bringing the food into the Tucson area, from the Phoenix area, without any refrigeration. So the meat is sitting, wrapped in what appears to be a garbage bag, just sitting in the back of a truck,” said Amanda Anderson, who is Pima County’s manager of consumer health and food safety.

The vendors appear to be using white cargo vans with California license plates to transport the pop-up food stands.

Food sales take place under canopied tents, with of the pastor’s flesh out in the open air.

“Hand washing is not available. There are no bathrooms available. So these people can contaminate food after they use the restroom somewhere,” Anderson said.

Food sales are held under canopied tents, with the meat being pastored in the open air.(Pima County)

Health officials in Maricopa and Pima counties say the unlicensed vendors drive white pickup trucks, have canopied tents and don’t display required health department signs indicating the operations are licensed.

If a business displays a County Environmental Services sign, it means they are licensed and follow best practices for food safety.

If you have questions or complaints about a food vendor, you can call Maricopa County Environmental Services at (602) 506-6616 or Maricopa.gov/Enviro.

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