The California State Fair opens for business today and you should be aware that *this* year, inspectors will start state fair food inspections.
The Sacramento County Environmental Management Department will start inspecting the fair’s more than 150 food vendors when it opens Thursday. And as a cue to customers, vendors get signs to display saying they’ve passed inspection.
What? Does this mean that food vendors have previously been serving their concoctions sans government review? I do like the idea of displaying the signs though. It could be the difference for me in trying the raccoon on a stick, maggot melt or deep-fried scorpions.
Stickie, what say you?
The Sac Rag 
Have there actually been an food incidents at past fairs that indicate a need for such inspections? And is there any emprical data showing that implementation of these inspections actually reduces the incidence of disease & sickness?
I would say that a county that is cutting critical services and can’t be bothered to patrol the parkway might want to focus it budget on something other then measuring the temperature of the oil at the corndog stand.
LikeLike
I agree. It’s the fair. Deal with it. To be honest, I’d rather hang out and eat at the Greyhound station than the fair. Cleaner & the crowd isn’t as bad.
LikeLike
All food vendors at every fair in California adhere to extremely precise and strict county/state codes for food handing, storage, refrigeration, heating, etc. They’re inspected and licensed by the local county jurisdiction each season. For example, a food vendor might operate at eight individual fairs during the summer season which means they’d be inspected eight times — as opposed to a permanent restaurant, which might not get inspected even once a year.
LikeLike
Boooooo. Susan is correct, the food inspection at fairs in California is pretty damn stringent. I don’t know if this is news, but at some point in American history, carnies and gypsies became suspect.
Now, where do I get me a raccoon on a stick?
LikeLike
Great point Susan. Sure is a lot of work and expense by the county to address a non-problem.
Please Sac County, layoff a couple inspectors and replace them with a ranger or two for the parkway.
LikeLike