We're proud of our food truck heritage in LA. They're an essential part of living in this city, whether you're looking for a taco, a lobster roll, a slice of pizza or a pupusa. And we've developed trust in our favorite trucks, an implicit understanding that whatever we're eating has been prepared with care. Health concerns rarely come up when contemplating a lunch spot.
But according to a recent Los Angeles Times analysis, food truck health safety should be at the top of our minds. After reviewing data from the LA County Department of Public Health, the Times found that in the past two years, around 27 percent of food trucks earned less than A grades; around 4 percent of those trucks were forced to close. In comparison, less than 5 percent of brick-and-mortar restaurants received a grading lower than A.
The challenges for maintaining a high sanitation grade while operating a food truck are plenty, ranging from close quarters to improper equipment to workers both cooking and serving the food (which leads to higher risk of cross-contamination). The Times cited another common issue: rodents.
Since the health department began inspecting food trucks in 2011, the inspection process has mirrored that of restaurants and food carts, often occurring at random. Contaminated equipment and improper storage temperatures are a couple reasons for an infraction, along with poor hygiene among workers. But in such confined spaces, it can be difficult maintaining the same level of cleanliness that larger restaurants can afford.
To some customers, it doesn't even matter that much—dining at a food truck with a B rating (or lower) often serves as a point of pride for people ("As long as it tastes good, man!"). Yet the health department shut down more than 70 trucks this year, ending jobs for those that worked and owned the operation. So if you're thinking about taking your ice cream businesses to four wheels, consider your cleaning skills—and whether you're comfortable handling a rat.
Would you eat at a food truck with a grade lower than A? Let us know in the comments below!