Make sure fair food is safe
In the area, fairs and festivals have either recently wrapped up, or will be getting started in the near future.
These events are a great way to draw people to the region, and they give residents of the area something fun to do. Some of them have been attracting families from generation to generation.
And at these events, patrons often enjoy ice cream, elephant ears and other snacks purchased from temporary food establishments, or as many of us know them as, food trucks or food carts.
The folks who own these temporary establishments have every right to do so, although in some areas of the state, people have become upset with some owners of mobile temporary establishments who work out a deal with a landowner to rent a space for their cart.
How long one of these establishments can operate out of one place is an issue that is up for debate, but we want our readers to know what the rules are for these vendors who will likely serve guests for a week, at the most.
According to the laws on food trucks, to run one, the vendor must obtain a permit from the health department. The state of Michigan’s website says the permit is about $28. Once the permit is issued and the business is up and running, the health department is supposed to visit and inspect the site on the first day food is prepared there.
If the booth passes inspection, the health department will issue a temporary food service license, which is valid for 14 days and must be conspicuously displayed.
That last point is the one we encourage our readers to be diligent about. We would never tell our readers to not grab a bite to eat while at a fair or other event, but we do hope they take a few seconds to make sure whatever they and their family members are eating is safe.