Update: Renton Farmers Market Vendor Open One Week Following Closure by Health Inspectors

Update, Monday, July 15: Carrie Olson, Renton Farmers Market coordinator, told Patch Monday that Oak Hills, which was closed last week by King County Public Health for not having available handwashing facilities, will be open for the market on Tuesday, July 16.

The King County Health Department website indicates Oak Hills was reopened Monday, July 15 at 11:30 a.m.

Vendors who handle food or give out food samples are required to wash their hands, Olson said. 

Given the mobile nature of farmers market vendors, handwashing facilities in vendor booths must include a type of container that dispenses warm water and can be turned on and off, soap and paper towels and a container to collected the used water for disposal, she said.

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Original story:

The Oak Hills vendor at the Renton Farmers Market was closed by a King County Public Health food inspector on Tuesday, July 9, 2013 at 3:35 p.m. due to not having available handwashing facilities, a notice said Thursday.

The establishment will be reopened once the inspector confirms that this issue has been resolved.

According to the Renton Farmers Market vendor page, Oak Hills offers goods and foods including produce and shave ice.

Earlier this week, a vendor at the Mercer Island Farmers Market was similarly cited for hygiene concerns stemming in part from a lack of handwashing facilities. 

Patch was not able to reach a representative of the Renton Farmers Market as of Thursday afternoon. We will update this story with more information, including when Oak Hills is back up and running.

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