It’s created quite a stir.
Denver health officials are facing criticism after two inspectors were arrested on Saturday, following a shocking video that showed them pouring bleach on food at a taco stand, which quickly went viral.
The clip, which gained traction over the weekend, features inspectors from the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment dumping large containers of bleach onto food items at a Taco Taco Colorado stand, as reported by local news.
This incident sparked significant public outrage, prompting Colorado City health officials to explain that such drastic actions were taken because the vendor failed to comply with repeated health warnings.
“Due to noncompliance, enforcement measures included the confiscation and safe disposal of food that posed health risks,” said Amber Campbell, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health, in an email.
She noted that in past encounters, vendors had quickly attempted to move food before it could be disposed of properly. “During a recent check, inspectors found employees loading contaminated food into a locked truck,” she added.
“In light of the vendor’s obstruction, the absence of disposal bins, and the large quantity of contaminated food, bleach was used to ensure the food couldn’t be resold or stored,” Campbell mentioned, confirming that the spoiled food has been removed.
The vendor, identified by local media as Garcia Barrientos, reportedly disregarded multiple warnings about unsafe food handling and did not possess a license to operate.
The department clarified that using substances like bleach to prevent the sale of unsafe food isn’t out of the ordinary for health inspectors across the U.S.
However, Barrientos claimed he was unaware of any issues because the inspectors weren’t displaying any identification. He insisted that the city had not communicated any prior violations to him.
Images shared online do suggest the inspector was wearing a badge.
Mr. Campbell countered Barrientos’s claims, stating that the vendor had relocated to evade fines related to various violations, including improper food storage and lack of a business license.
“Allowing unlicensed vendors to operate not only poses health risks but also harms the legitimate small businesses in Denver that follow the rules,” she remarked.
“We’ve received feedback from licensed vendors expressing concerns about unfair competition and how this affects their businesses,” she added.
