Idaho illnesses have prompted the Idaho Central Health District into issuing warnings to consumers about unlicensed restaurants and unregulated food vendors. In the last few months, officials have received food poisoning complaints related to those facilities. Consumers are urged to use caution when purchasing foods from home vendors and to not visit unlicensed “underground” restaurants operated out of home kitchens.
Environmental Health Program Manager Natasha Ferney said in a statement, “There are multiple risk factors in buying from unlicensed and unregulated vendors, but the most serious is the risk of foodborne illness. These vendors may not have a sanitary kitchen that meets provisions of the Idaho Food Code or know how to properly store or handle food to help prevent growth of disease-causing bacteria.”
There are many foods that need proper refrigeration and storage to prevent growth of harmful pathogens. These foods are called temperature controlled for safety (TCS) foods. They include dairy products; eggs; meats like hamburgers, burritos, fish, and chili; cooked rice, beans, or pasta; custard desserts and cream-filled pastries; and cut fruits and vegetables.
Ferney continued, “The Idaho Food Code allows vendors approved to operate under the Cottage Food rule to sell non-TCS foods directly to consumers without a license,” said Ferney. “But we are seeing a steady increase in unlicensed ‘underground’ restaurants and unregulated vendors selling TCS foods without proper permits and approvals. “These types of businesses often advertise single-plate or order-ahead sales. You may be told to pick up your orders from the home of the unlicensed operator or instructed to meet them at other locations, such as a parking lot or public park. Clearly, you would have no idea how your food was stored or handled in these situations.”
Before a restaurant or food vendors is allowed to open, they must submit a food safety plan about the whole of the operation. Reviews are conducted before the facility is allowed to open. And regular inspections make sure that the food these places produce are safe to eat.
If you have eaten from and unpermitted restaurant or food vendor and have been ill with the symptoms of food poisoning, see your doctor.
