Smorgasbord of Sickness

''When you look at the conditions on these carts and you have patients coming in, complaining about them,'' Dr. Lucchesi said, ''it strongly suggests there is a problem.'' From the New York Times, an article about hygiene, sickness and sidewalk food vendors. The familiar stainless-steel carts are small and lack basic kitchen equipment, yet roughly 40 percent of New York's vendors handle foods that can be hazardous, according to city figures. Many show up in the morning with tubs of raw meat and poultry, which can carry disease-causing bacteria. Food is often left unchilled and unheated, ideal for the growth of E. coli, salmonella and other germs. And some vendors wash their hands so seldom that they use their sinks for storage space. Tests arranged by The New York Times on a random sampling of chicken, burgers and kebabs from vendors' carts showed significant undercooking in 39 of 51 cases -- meaning that bacteria would not be eliminated. Experts say it is a potentially dangerous combination: risky fare, poor facilities and unsafe handling. FULL ARTICLE...