Street Food
Found Highly Contaminated With Fecal Matter
Food purchased from street vendors has been
found to have a high level of fecal
contamination, according to a study by the
Laboratorio de Microbiología de Alimentos de
la Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR).
The study, which was paid for by the Spanish
language daily, La Nación, reveals that the
poor cleanliness of hands, utensils and
consumables used vendors in the preparation
and sale of the food, as the main cause.
The UCR report indicates that seven of the
twelve foods (58%) analyzed by their
laboratory contained fecal matter.
The samples were taken last Wednesday, June
17, from street vendors in Zapote,
Desamaparados, La Sabana park and downtown
San José.
In addition to contaminated papaya slices,
results showed contamination of freshly
squeezed orange juice. The lab results also
indicated a high level of contamination of "arroz
con leche" (rice pudding) and "jugo de caña"
(sugarcane juice), purchased by UCR staff.
Lab test results indicated an alarming level
of Escherichia coli (commonly E. coli) in
the seven of the twelve products tested.
E. coli strains can cause serious food
poisoning in humans. E. coli are not always
confined to the intestine, and their ability
to survive for brief periods outside the
body makes them an ideal indicator organism
to test environmental samples for fecal
contamination, like salmonella.
A business that prepares and sells food,
like a restaurant, must have a Ministerio de
Salud (Health) permit to operate as part of
the Municipal "patente" (business license".
However, street vendors are not licensed and
their sales practices regulated.
Maureen Clarke. mayor of San José, said
"consumers can't expect quality when buying
off the street".
Clarke added that her officials, as part of
the control, continually check the streets
for illegal sales and confiscate food.
|
