Health apartment and random food stalls

[Anonymous]

In the past year or so, there are more and more random food stalls sprinkled through Silver, Spring, Wheaton, and now Aspen Hill. These are prepared fruit stands/ snack stands. I know these are popular in Mexico and Central America and they are becoming popular here in Montgomery county (I can’t speak for the rest of the area, I haven’t seen them). The sellers in these food stalls have no way to wash their hands, there’s no oversight on how the food is prepared and the sanitation. How is it that the county and heath department hasn’t stepped in to shut them down or inspect them? Am I overthinking this?

[Anonymous]

You're not overthinking it. I'm not sure that I've seen that where I am at in Arlington - aside from like a food truck coming to an event like a particular celebration for some nationality and I think food trucks are regulated by the health departments. And in this area food trucks are often run by restaurants with a brick and mortar location.

But cut fruit from a place where there isn't hand washing and probably not even fruit washing!? No way.

[Anonymous]

Street food is always problematic to some degree. If you must, look for food that's cooked to high temps in front of you. Kills most bacteria.

- microbiologist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Street food is always problematic to some degree. If you must, look for food that's cooked to high temps in front of you. Kills most bacteria.

- microbiologist.

Thanks what I am referring to are cut up fresh fruit stands. The food is sold in clear, disposable cups with seasoning. Don't get me wrong, they are delicious but these vendors are selling from the back of their cars with the products on on folding tables. It's clearly a huge health violation but the vendors are multiplying instead of getting shut down.

[Anonymous]

Drive through any bridge or tunnel in NYC and see what awaits you on either side (women, some with children, selling fruit cups in the smoggy polluted NYC thoroughfares)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the past year or so, there are more and more random food stalls sprinkled through Silver, Spring, Wheaton, and now Aspen Hill. These are prepared fruit stands/ snack stands. I know these are popular in Mexico and Central America and they are becoming popular here in Montgomery county (I can’t speak for the rest of the area, I haven’t seen them). The sellers in these food stalls have no way to wash their hands, there’s no oversight on how the food is prepared and the sanitation. How is it that the county and heath department hasn’t stepped in to shut them down or inspect them? Am I overthinking this?

Contact the county health department and give them the location ASAP when you spot one. Unfortunately they likely won't get to it to inspect that day and the stall will vanish only to be set up somewhere different the next day. But until people start reporting to the health department that they see these stalls proliferating, and until people complain about the obvious lack of sanitary food handling--the stalls will just keep going. The county works for you--press them to do their job. You are not overthinking this, but YOU need to step up and report what you see to the county health inspection office.

You'll get scoffed at by some here, but those people will never have known someone who was truly sickened by unsanitary food prep. Time off work, lost wages, medical bills, sometimes serious complications can happen. There are good reasons why food vendors are supposed to get inspected.

[Anonymous]

I've lived in Silver Spring 20 years. Where are these fresh fruit salad vendors of which you speak? Never seen one. This sounds like Hispanic panic to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Silver Spring 20 years. Where are these fresh fruit salad vendors of which you speak? Never seen one. This sounds like Hispanic panic to me.

Yes please point me to the area so I can go get some. I am cackling over hispanic panic because that's all this is. If you don't want to risk it, I get it but I've learned well from covid that different ppl have different risk tolerances and apparently that is ok and frankly with the world going to h#ll in a handbasket, the last thing I'm worried about is getting ill from chamoy mango with some tahin sprinkled in. You're missing out!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Silver Spring 20 years. Where are these fresh fruit salad vendors of which you speak? Never seen one. This sounds like Hispanic panic to me.

It’s not Hispanic panic so don’t go making assumptions. If you want to go, simply visit Georgia and Shorefield, Georgia and Layhill, Georgia and Aspen Hill, University and Piney Branch, my list goes on and on.


I would love to eat at these food stalls but as someone who spent a week in a hospital because of a severe case of salmonella, I am
Hyper aware of illegal and unsanitary food handling.

[Anonymous]

You're not overthinking it; yes these folks are trying to make money however they can, no it is unlikely to pass health dept standards. Depending on your risk tolerance, yes you should probably skip it.

That said, the worst food poisoning I ever got was from a Caesar salad at a TGIF's in college. Safest to cook at home, risks rise from there.

Are you concerned about the "rule breaking" of their presence in general? Risk to the community? These are just folks trying to make a living.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're not overthinking it; yes these folks are trying to make money however they can, no it is unlikely to pass health dept standards. Depending on your risk tolerance, yes you should probably skip it.

That said, the worst food poisoning I ever got was from a Caesar salad at a TGIF's in college. Safest to cook at home, risks rise from there.

Are you concerned about the "rule breaking" of their presence in general? Risk to the community? These are just folks trying to make a living.

In order to make a living, I am allowed to ignore certain rules and regulations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the past year or so, there are more and more random food stalls sprinkled through Silver, Spring, Wheaton, and now Aspen Hill. These are prepared fruit stands/ snack stands. I know these are popular in Mexico and Central America and they are becoming popular here in Montgomery county (I can’t speak for the rest of the area, I haven’t seen them). The sellers in these food stalls have no way to wash their hands, there’s no oversight on how the food is prepared and the sanitation. How is it that the county and heath department hasn’t stepped in to shut them down or inspect them? Am I overthinking this?

These coconut/fruit stands are ALL OVER NOVA too, every single shopping center along RT. 7/King st/RT 236. I have so many questions regarding hand washing and exactly how many customers do they have and how much money do they make since this area is now so oversaturated now with fruit stands. I do indeed think the health department needs to take a look at these but doubt they ever will....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're not overthinking it; yes these folks are trying to make money however they can, no it is unlikely to pass health dept standards. Depending on your risk tolerance, yes you should probably skip it.

That said, the worst food poisoning I ever got was from a Caesar salad at a TGIF's in college. Safest to cook at home, risks rise from there.

Are you concerned about the "rule breaking" of their presence in general? Risk to the community? These are just folks trying to make a living.

Op here and if I’m being honest, it’s both food safety but it bothers me that they aren’t going to the same process as a restaurant or a food truck. Everybody wants to make a living, I get that. I really do. But there is the right way to do it, and the wrong way to do it. Just think of all the time, expense and paperwork that a restaurant needs to go through to get their licenses for food, safety, sanitation, taxes, and what not. It’s not cool that some people just set up without having to go through the proper procedures.

When I got sick from salmonella, it was from a restaurant and it was due to improper food handling. I was in the hospital for a week and I was so sick. Never would I have thought that a food illness would be so dangerous. I can’t even imagine how filthy those food stands are. As good as their food looks and smells, cause I’ll give them that it looks very good, I think they’re actually a health danger.

These are just my thoughts and I haven’t called or reported anybody, but I hope that somebody takes notice and addresses these.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Silver Spring 20 years. Where are these fresh fruit salad vendors of which you speak? Never seen one. This sounds like Hispanic panic to me.

It’s not Hispanic panic so don’t go making assumptions. If you want to go, simply visit Georgia and Shorefield, Georgia and Layhill, Georgia and Aspen Hill, University and Piney Branch, my list goes on and on.


I would love to eat at these food stalls but as someone who spent a week in a hospital because of a severe case of salmonella, I am
Hyper aware of illegal and unsanitary food handling.

THEN DO NOT EAT AT THE FOOD STALLS!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're not overthinking it; yes these folks are trying to make money however they can, no it is unlikely to pass health dept standards. Depending on your risk tolerance, yes you should probably skip it.

That said, the worst food poisoning I ever got was from a Caesar salad at a TGIF's in college. Safest to cook at home, risks rise from there.

Are you concerned about the "rule breaking" of their presence in general? Risk to the community? These are just folks trying to make a living.

Op here and if I’m being honest, it’s both food safety but it bothers me that they aren’t going to the same process as a restaurant or a food truck. Everybody wants to make a living, I get that. I really do. But there is the right way to do it, and the wrong way to do it. Just think of all the time, expense and paperwork that a restaurant needs to go through to get their licenses for food, safety, sanitation, taxes, and what not. It’s not cool that some people just set up without having to go through the proper procedures.

When I got sick from salmonella, it was from a restaurant and it was due to improper food handling. I was in the hospital for a week and I was so sick. Never would I have thought that a food illness would be so dangerous. I can’t even imagine how filthy those food stands are. As good as their food looks and smells, cause I’ll give them that it looks very good, I think they’re actually a health danger.

These are just my thoughts and I haven’t called or reported anybody, but I hope that somebody takes notice and addresses these.

Just don’t eat there Karen!