Politics & Government

Health Agents Pay Visit to Attleboro Farmers Market

A health agent checked several vendors to make sure they were selling foods at proper temperatures.

A health agent and health inspector visited the Attleboro Farmers Market for the first time this past Saturday to make sure several local vendors were selling their goods at proper temperatures.

No reports have been filed at the City's Health Department or the State Department of Health about visitors to the market getting sick from food, according to Frank Wojciechowski, health agent at the Plainville Board of Health. Wojciechowski said that he and health inspector Alexander Vastano were asked to visit the market Saturday to check in on several local vendors — , , Be Sweet Bakery and — to be sure that any meats, poultry or foods made with egg were being sold at the right temperatures.

Market Manager Heather Porreca said most of the food at the Attleboro Farmers Market is pre-packaged and prepared before it is brought to the market. When there are food demonstrations held at the market, a hand-washing station is brought in.

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The agent said he would return to the market next week because of the vendors on his list, only one was there.

The agent did speak to Be Sweet Bakery owners Lynn Porto and Kristen Kearney, who sell baked goods at the market each week. No violations were issued to the bakers because they bake their goods at a licensed kitchen before bringing it to the market. The owners, however, were encouraged to include ingredient labels on their goods.

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In addition to the four vendors listed above, a handful of other vendors at the market also regularly sell baked goods and food at the market. However those, which have operations based outside of Attleboro, were not on the health agent's list for inspection. Wojcienchowski said he is not sure why the others were not included, since he has the authority to do checks on all vendors, no matter where they are based in the state. He said his visit to the market was prompted by a call from the City's Head Agent, Jim Mooney.

"It doesn't matter where you are or who you are," he said. "We use state and federal regulations."

The visit comes one week after market organizers met with city officials and members of the Attleboro Public Library's Board of Trustees to .

Attleboro City Councilor Richard Conti, who helped launch the market, said organizers checked with all the necessary city departments before opening the market, the health department included.

"Before we started, I interviewed with the health inspector and asked 'what do we need to do' and he told me and we did it," Conti said. "From the beginning we wanted everything to be legitimate."

Market Coordinator Eddie Porreca said he welcomed the visit and always wants to be sure the market is in compliance with any and all regulations.


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