BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Kern County Public Health conducted a sting operation over the weekend targeting unlicensed food vendors throughout the Bakersfield area, including at the Casa Loma Swap Meet at Casa Loma and Cottonwood Road.
In a release issued Wednesday morning, the agency announced it contacted more than 30 vendors over the weekend, issued 11 citations, and impounded equipment from unlicensed food vendors in the Bakersfield area.
According to data provided by the agency, 10 of the citations were for moderate risk and carry fines just shy of $2,000. Officials also confiscated potentially hazardous food from 8 vendors operating without proper permits.
Kern County Public Health Director Brynn Carrigan said the goal of requiring permits is to protect the public.
"We want people to do things the right way. We're here to protect our community, to protect their health, and there's a reason that we require vendors to be permitted, and that's so they're doing things safely," Carrigan said.
Carrigan said one of the key reasons for permitting and health inspections is to help prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses.
"If somebody comes into a doctor and tests positive for a foodborne illness and says they ate at this location, well, we can easily tell who was that vendor, and work with that vendor to try to prevent anybody else from getting sick. But if that vendor is constantly moving around to try to skirt us, knowing where they're located, or avoiding any contact with us, then that investigation becomes very difficult," Carrigan said.
Carrigan said the county's goal during these operations is to educate vendors and bring them into compliance with food safety and permitting laws, adding that officials are always willing to help walk vendors through the process.
We reached out to multiple vendors served with cease-and-desist orders by the county, hoping to arrange interviews for Wednesday afternoon. While they confirmed receiving citations, they said they would call back to schedule — but by news time, we had not heard from them.
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