Where Do Street Vendors Get Their Fruit

[Yamila Comejo]

Alvaradolobbied in Sacramento and helped write the bill as part of the grassroots effort to make this legislation a reality. KCRW speaks with Alvarado and other supporters of this bill to see what the new law will mean.

Doug Smith, a senior attorney at Public Counsel who represents street vendors, heard from his clients that they were unable to get permits. In Los Angeles alone, there are around 10,000 vendors and only about 200 permitted, according to UCLA.

Many of these vendors are undocumented and vulnerable to extortion or exploitation. For a vendor living on the financial edge, a ticket for operating without a permit could be devastating. In one case in San Bernardino County, according to the UCLA report, a citation escalated until the vendor was deported.

The legislation streamlines the permit process. Cart requirements are more reasonable, and vendors that sell fruit can now slice produce on site and taco carts can reheat food. Also, vendors that need commissary kitchen space for preparations can now use places like churches and schools instead of having to rent out parts of a professional kitchen. Most importantly, by allowing vendors to operate legally, it welcomes these workers into the formal economy.

She also appreciated the solidarity between a small group of vendors like herself who identify as Black, with others who were predominantly Latino. They spent time together after lobbying and found ways to communicate despite language barriers.

Dry or packaged foods: Most germs require a damp environment to grow, so foods that are dry, such as potato chips, are usually safe. Additionally, food in factory-sealed containers, such as canned tuna or packaged crackers, are usually safe if they were not opened or handled by another person.

Street food: Avoid eating food from street vendors. If you choose to eat street food, follow the same food safety rules as you would with other foods. For example, avoid raw vegetables and eat food cooked and steaming hot.

Bushmeat: Avoid eating bushmeat. Bushmeat refers to local wild game, generally animals not typically eaten in the United States, such as bats, monkeys, or rodents. Bushmeat can be a source of animal-to-human spread of diseases, such as Ebola.

Tap water: Do not drink the tap water in countries where the tap water might be contaminated. Avoid swallowing water when showering. Brush your teeth with bottled or disinfected water. Tap water can be disinfected by boiling, filtering, or chemically treating it.

Bottled or canned drinks: Drinks from unopened, factory-sealed bottles or cans are safer than tap water; however, use caution as vendors in some countries may replace bottled water with untreated water. Sometimes, a drop of glue can be used to mimic the factory seal. Carbonated drinks in bottles or cans, such as sodas or sparkling water, are typically safe because the bubbles indicate that the bottle was sealed at the factory and not tampered with. Avoid drinks that have ice.

Milk: Pasteurized milk from a sealed bottle is usually safe to drink. Do not drink milk stored in open containers, such as pitchers, that may have been sitting at room temperature; this includes cream for coffee or tea. Unpasteurized foods carry risks for all travelers; however, it is especially important for pregnant women or people who have a weakened immune system to avoid unpasteurized milk, cheese, and yogurt.

Alcohol: The alcohol content of most liquors kills germs that may have been present in alcohol. When choosing mixers, such as fruit juices, follow the recommendations about what types of food and drink are least likely to have germs. Avoid drinks that have ice.

Freshly squeezed juice: Avoid fruit juice, and food and drinks made with freshly squeezed juice made by others. It is fine to drink fruit juice or eat ice pops and other treats if you washed/peeled the fruit in bottled or treated water and squeezed the juice yourself.

As he gets their truck set up, Bentez gets the children ready for school. Once the children are ready and dropped off, the couple loads up their truck with all of their fruit, ice and their two vending carts.

The couple has garnered a massive following of over 960,000 in the last several months by going live on TikTok, where thousands of people admire their cutting skills as they slice up fruit for their customers.

When Isabel first came to California about 10 years ago, he connected with a fruit vending company that showed him the ropes of street vending. They taught him how to set up his own cart, where to buy his fruit and how to get his business up and running.

Isabel says he feels "very fortunate to have a woman who is hard working like me. I think that has helped us grow because we are both very hard workers and we think the same way in any business we are going to do."

When they first began their business, they started in Whittier. But when they noticed the La Puente area did not have many street vendors, they decided to try their luck there. They have been selling there for the past six years.

Tajin is a brand of popular seasoning used mainly for fruit consisting of chili peppers, lime, and salt. It has a powder or flakey consistency. Chamoy is a sauce also commonly used on fruit that also consists of chili peppers, lime, and salt.

The couple said that what seems to captivate their viewers the most is the couple's cutting technique. Both Isabel and Bentez use a large knife to swiftly cut through the watermelon, coconut, honeydew and cucumbers in a matter of seconds.

Through their business, Isabel said they were able to help some of their relatives start their own business. Their family members worked under Isabel for some time after he helped them get set up with their fruit vending carts and get their permits.

With the recent damage from a massive fire on the 10 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles, the couple said they have helped donate to other street vendors who suffered losses to their business due to the fire.

Currently, Isabel has over 960,000 followers on TikTok and is close to reaching the one million follower mark. Through their accounts, they try to keep their audience engaged, often doing giveaways for their viewers.

Effective January 1, 2023, the California Health and Safety Code was amended to promote economic inclusion while modernizing the California Retail Food Code (CRFC) so that sidewalk food vendors can obtain a permit and join the regulated vending economy. Sidewalk food vendors will now be classified as a Compact Mobile Food Operation (CMFO). Below are some frequently asked questions for operating a CMFO.

A CMFO is a mobile food facility in which an individual operates from a pushcart, stand, display, pedal-driven cart, wagon, showcase, rack, or othernonmotorized unenclosed conveyancethat can be approved to sell prepackaged food or unpackaged food with limited food preparation.

Food is considered prepackaged when it has been processed in a permitted food facility or food establishment and properly packaged to prevent any direct human contact between the food product and the consumer prior to consumption. The label also includes the common name of the item, a list of ingredients in order from largest quantity to least, quantity such as weight, and name and address of the place of business of the manufacturer.

It went into effect on January 1, 2023, with the first year focused on education and outreach. However, permits are required to operate, and administrative fines may be issued for operating without a permit.

Maybe. You do not need a health permit if you sell only prepackaged, non-potentially hazardous (non-perishable) foods or whole uncooked fruits and vegetables, and your CMFO is within a space that is 25 square feet or less. For all other CMFOs, a health permit is required.

This display area is measured by the square footage of the floor space of the display area. For example, a CMFO with a shelving unit that occupies floor space of 5 feet x 5 feet, or 6 feet x 4 feet would not require a permit even if it had four shelves. However, a CMFO without shelving that has a display area that is 10 feet x 10 feet would require a permit.

Prepackaged, non-potentially hazardous foods and whole, uncooked fruits and vegetables limited to a space that is 25 square feet or less, do not require a permit from Los Angeles County, Department of Public Health. Please check with your local jurisdiction if additional permits or licenses are required.

Prepackagedmeans the food are served directly to the customer in its unopened, original container or packaging, that is prepared and properly labeled from a manufacturer, a commissary, or other food facility.

Non-potentially hazardousmeans food that does not require refrigeration to prevent bacterial growth. Therefore, dairy, meat, poultry, fish, cut melon, and cooked foods are not allowed without a health permit.

Low risk cartswill be inspected once every two years.Moderate risk cartswill be inspected once a year.High risk cartsare inspected twice a year. Additional inspections may be warranted due to complaints.

CMFO operators and employees must hold a food handler card. A food handler card must be obtained within 30 days of the start of the operation or hire. A listing of Accredited Organizations can be found at theAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) website.

You may need a local business license, sidewalk vending permit or peddlers permit to sell food. Check with the city you plan to operate your business in for more information. For County unincorporated communities, check with the Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector regarding a business license and in the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity for a sidewalk vending permit.

First, a notice of violation will be issued. Continuing to operate without a permit will result in administrative fines. After January 1, 2024, the enforcement agency can charge up to three times the cost of the permit fee as an administrative fine for operating without a health permit. In addition, any prepared foods may be condemned due to being prepared or held in insanitary, unsafe conditions.

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