Denver health officials are facing criticism after a viral video showed two inspectors pouring bleach into food at a local taco stand on Saturday.
The footage, widely shared online over the weekend, appears to show two inspectors from the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment emptying a large jug of bleach into vats of food at Taco Tacolorado, according to KUSA-TV News. The video sparked public outrage, though city health officials defended the action, saying it was necessary after repeated violations by the food vendor.
“Because we have been unable to achieve compliance, our enforcement actions have escalated to confiscating and safely disposing of food products that pose a potential health risk,” said Amber Campbell, a spokesperson for the health department.
Campbell said previous attempts to remove unsafe food were thwarted when the vendor packed up and relocated before inspectors could act. During the latest inspection, employees attempted to load contaminated food into a locked truck, she said.
“Given the vendor’s interference, lack of an on-site dumpster, and the amount of contaminated food, bleach was used as a quick and immediate response to ensure food could not be packed, stored, and resold,” Campbell added, noting that the tainted food was subsequently removed.
The vendor, identified by KUSA as Garcia Barrientos, reportedly ignored repeated warnings about unsafe practices and was operating without a license, the health department said.
Campbell emphasized that using a disinfectant like bleach to prevent potentially unsafe food from being sold is not unusual for U.S. health inspectors.
Barrientos, however, told KUSA he did not know the inspectors and claimed the city never informed him of prior violations. Images from the inspection suggest the inspectors were wearing badges.
The health department also said Barrientos has moved locations multiple times to evade fines for violations, including unsafe food storage and unlicensed operation.
“Allowing unlicensed vendors to operate not only presents a health and safety risk, but it also undermines the many small businesses in Denver that have invested time and money to operate legally and safely,” Campbell said. “Licensed vendors have expressed concerns about unfair competition and the impact on their livelihoods.”