The Toronto Star reports today that a change is coming to street food vending regulations.  The Ontario government is reportedly changing the rules to allow foods other than sausages and hot dogs to be sold at road-side carts. 

I wrote in a previous blog post that I love the new direction of the regulations but they should be implemented with caution.

Operators must know (and care) about the risks associated with the products they sell, More complicated foods come with complicated preparation and handling steps.  Multiple raw ingredients need to be kept at the right temperature, operators have to avoid cross-contamination and, keep bacteria and viruses off of their hands. 

A program specific to the new types of permissible street foods should supplement these rules, so vendors and public health inspectors can discuss potential issues.  

Allowing vendors to sell new foods with minimal facilities without providing resources to help them learn how to create them safely is a potential recipe for disaster.