Health inspectors work to ensure safe fair food

The Deschutes County Fair kicked off on Wednesday, and the county Health Department was there to make sure that the food was safe to eat.

Brody Hodges and four other inspectors were tasked with inspecting the 37 food vendor booths at the fair.

The inspectors have a list of things that they got through to make sure the food is safe for consumption.

“We’re making sure that they have a hand-washing station set up,” Hodges said. “And then also cold holding and hot holding, if needed, and making sure everything is below 41 degrees, with hot holding above 135 degrees Fahrenheit, and make sure that everything looks safe and is good for human consumption.”

Food vendors like Melody Meuret have been coming to the Deschutes County Fair for 10 years now.

Meuret has been a food vendor for 28 years, and said she has only failed one inspection in all of those years.

Inspectors have many reasons to shut down a booth, but one of the biggest reasons is not having a place to properly wash the workers’ hands.

“Usually, with no hand-washing, we will shut them down right away until they get hand-washing,” Hodges said. “How are you going to prepare food without washing your hands first?”

On Wednesday, there were no big issues with the vendors, and the issues that were found were quickly corrected so that business could carry on.