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News / Health / Clark County Health

Clark County Public Health urges community to avoid unpermitted food carts

Unpermitted carts 'putting people at risk for foodborne illness'

By Chrissy Booker, Columbian staff writer
Published: September 24, 2024, 5:00pm

Clark County Public Health is warning consumers to avoid unpermitted food carts.

Last month, a number of them began selling hot dogs in the parking lot of the RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater following concerts or events. These carts cannot properly store or prepare food, as they lack refrigeration, clean water and handwashing facilities, according to a news release issued by Public Health Tuesday.

“These unpermitted food carts are dangerous and putting people at risk for foodborne illness,” Public Health Director Alan Melnick said in the news release.

According to Public Health, the carts are transported in vans with out-of-state license plates before or during the concerts, and vendors begin serving hot dogs as people leave the venue. Vendors have ignored guidance from Public Health’s Food Safety team, which is now working with Live Nation and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office to find other solutions, according to the news release.

“Storing foods at the appropriate temperatures — keeping cold foods cold and hot foods hot — is critical to prevent germs that cause foodborne illness from growing,” according to the agency. “Food must also be cooked thoroughly to the appropriate temperatures to kill any germs that have grown. And handwashing is essential to prevent spreading germs from hands to the food people are eating.”

People can protect themselves from foodborne illnesses like salmonella, E. coli and norovirus by only purchasing food from permitted food carts, event vendors and restaurants.

Community members can search for permitted food establishments and review inspection scores on the Public Health website.

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This story was made possible by Community Funded Journalism, a project from The Columbian and the Local Media Foundation. Top donors include the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund, Patricia, David and Jacob Nierenberg, Connie and Lee Kearney, Steve and Jan Oliva, The Cowlitz Tribal Foundation and the Mason E. Nolan Charitable Fund. The Columbian controls all content. For more information, visit columbian.com/cfj.

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