Food Trucks in San Diego getting graded on cleanliness

Would you eat from your favorite food truck if you knew that it received a fail grade in health?

Today, people in San Diego have now shifted their concerns to food control. Years ago San Diego became one of the first counties to require a grading system by health inspectors. With such easy grading scales of “A,” “B,” “C,” customers can find the regulations assuring to determine a safe place to eat.

After such success, San Diego decided to try to further develop their Health and Safety grade card program by including Food Trucks. With this strong move, “the County will become one of the first in the nation to expand this public health service to cover the growing food-truck industry” (San Diego County News Center).

This requirement seems significant for the growing number of people munching down the food they buy from the trucks. Over 1100 mobile food operations remain in business throughout San Diego. A testimony from one of the owners shows that they understand the importance of keeping the businesses sanitary for the customers.

The regulations require the mobile food trucks to comply with the same health and safety regulations restaurants comply with. According to Heather Buomo, an Environmental Health Specialist, the “Major violations would be the same as the major risk factors for a food borne illness, so again time and temperature control, sanitation, and also employee hygiene. Making sure the food handlers are washing their hands and not working when they are ill.” (San Diego County News Center).

After all, the food the employers cook, touch, and serve in those trucks remains the same food you put in your mouth. You as a customer cannot see what goes on in the kitchen, so what credibility can you rely on to know whether a food vendor looks safe enough to eat at?

Photos courtesy of Karen Green via Flickr.