The less appetizing side of bacon-wrapped hot dogs

It is not uncommon to see men and women pushing carts laden with bacon-wrapped hot dogs or various ice cream cones in the area between USC and Exposition Park, particularly on game days.

A recent Los Angeles Times article highlighted the potential health hazards that should be considered when purchasing these items, as well as measures being taken to ensure health standards.

It is completely legal to sell food and other items on the street in Los Angeles, as long as the seller has the appropriate business and health permits. In order to maintain health standards, the city’s Public Health Department has begun issuing letter grades to food carts. Unfortunately, this measure does not stop illegal vendors from selling their goods on L.A. streets.

“An illegal vendor of hot dogs, for example, can make as much as $300 a day,” reported Hector Tobar in the Times. “That vendor’s licensed competitor might take in a bit more but has higher costs associated with keeping his food sanitary and has to pay ever-higher health-inspection fees.”

Legal street food vendors must go through a series of inspections — some unannounced — in order to attain their letter grades from the Public Health Department. Illegal vendors, or those who do not display the yellow PHD sticker on their cart, might not be complying with health standards in regards to the safety of their food.

The next time students feel the urge to buy a bacon-wrapped hot dog, they should look for a yellow health department sticker on the food cart. Without this yellow sign, the food could be tainted, old, or unrefrigerated — all undesirable things that could lead to a nasty bout of food poisoning.