We
’re sure organizers of Morgan Hill’s annual Haru Matsuri were
stunned by the financial impact of a Santa Clara County health
inspector’s decision to stop most food sales at the one-day event
earlier this month.
We’re sure organizers of Morgan Hill’s annual Haru Matsuri were stunned by the financial impact of a Santa Clara County health inspector’s decision to stop most food sales at the one-day event earlier this month.
The annual spring festival normally generates $30,000 to $35,000 in net revenue for the Buddhist Community Center. After the county health inspector’s action – affecting chicken teriyaki box lunches, sushi and chicken salad entrees, based on concerns that the products were too warm, potentially allowing the growth of dangerous bacteria – the festival was stuck with thousands of meals it had paid for but couldn’t sell. Instead of turning a profit, organizers said they are $25,000 in the hole following this year’s event.
Haru Matsuri, while the longest-running festival in South Valley, is one of the smaller annual events. Let’s hope this sad incident will serve as a heads up for organizers of the region’s other annual events – the Gilroy Garlic Festival, Mushroom Mardi Gras and the Taste of Morgan Hill, for example – of the importance of following health department regulations for food handling very carefully.
It’s not enough that event planners know the rules. Any volunteer who has contact with food for sale needs to be trained in the particulars of the food handling guidelines.
Failure to do so will hit these festivals – and the many charitable organizations they benefit – where they can least afford it: in the bank account.
County environmental health officials say they provide anyone who pulls a food sale permit for temporary events such as these festivals with specific guidelines on how to avoid problems. And they say they inspect every event of which they are aware.
In these days of heightened terrorism awareness, county environmental health officials are being especially careful to prevent food-borne illnesses. They’re concerned that a food-borne illness outbreak could spark fears – or panic – that the region’s been a victim of a bioterrorism attack.
Although the Haru Matsuri festival lesson was costly, let’s hope it’s one that other South Valley event organizers take to heart: follow the proper food handling procedures to avoid expensive actions by county health inspectors.
