Business & Tech

Health Inspectors Cite Mercer Island Farmers Market Vendor for Poor Hygiene

Acma Mission Farms is still permitted to sell food at the Mercer Island Farmers Market that are exempt from permit.

Health inspectors blocked a Mercer Island Farmers Market vendor from offering samples of fresh fruit to customers on Sunday after they found the fruit sellers weren't washing their hands.

The sampling portion of the Acma Mission Farms at the Mercer Island Farmers Market was closed on July 7 at 1:05 p.m. by Public Health - Seattle & King County.

The health department says an inspector found the following problems during a visit yesterday:

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  • Poor personal hygiene practices (not washing hands); and
  • Handwashing facilities unavailable

Patty Spahr, manager of the Mercer Island Farmers Market, said inspectors cited the fruit seller for not setting up the required hand-washing station.

"There's no excuse," she said. "I'm very upset about it."

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The state Department of Health recently increased the requirements for hot water supply at both the central location of the Market and at individual vendor booths. Currently, vendors offering samples must maintain a hand-washing station at their booth with a 5-gallon jug holding water at 100F or hotter, a running spigot, a catch-basin for waste water, hand soap and paper towels.

In a related project, City Hall is spending $10,000 upgrade the supply and discharge of hot water at Mercerdale Park for civic events and the farmers market. But repairs aren't scheduled to be complete until this week.

The city installed an instant hot-water system at the Mercerdale Park restroom to supply the market in 2007, but the number of vendors at the market has since grown and the supply is inadequate for current demand.

Under updated rules, hot water supply for hand washing stations must be available at individual vendor booths and at the public restroom facility.

According to the local health department, Acma Mission Farms is still permitted to sell food that are exempt from permit. The sampling portion of the business will be allowed once the inspector confirms that all issues have been resolved.

The Food Establishment Closures homepage is online at www.kingcounty.gov/health/closures.

Patch will update this post when the vendor is allowed to resume offering samples.


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