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County officials warn of health risks, organized networks behind unpermitted food vending in Los Banos area
Summary
Merced County environmental health officials told the Los Banos City Council that many roadside, unpermitted food operations lack refrigeration, handwashing and commissary connections and can pose “very dangerous” public‑health risks; the county described use of triple fines, equipment impoundment and coordination with DAs to pursue larger criminal networks.
Merced County environmental health officials described a widening problem of unpermitted food vending and outlined enforcement tools at the March 18 Los Banos City Council meeting.
“We typically find meats in bags, no soap, no sanitizer, no refrigeration,” Amanda Durand, deputy director of the county’s environmental health division, told the council. She said county teams document onsite conditions, impound unsafe equipment and bill operators — including a triple‑fee penalty — and that the county is coordinating vehicle‑plate checks and investigations with district attorneys and sheriff’s offices across counties.
Mark Mims, director of…
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