Inspectors, vendors busy during State Fair of Texas keeping fair food safe

For Ernesto Mendoza, the State Fair of Texas brings out a feeling familiar to many across North Texas.

“I’ve been coming to the fair ever since I was a little kid, so it’s a special place in my heart,” Mendoza said.

Mendoza says he keeps that in mind now when he makes spot inspections of food vendors with the City of Dallas code compliance team.

Mendoza is part of a rotating team of inspectors who fan out across Fair Park, conducting food inspections of concessionaires during the 24-day run of the fair.

“I’m looking that the food temperatures are right, meaning cold and hot, employees are doing what they’re supposed to, they have their proper certification,” Mendoza said.

Now in his fourth year as a senior sanitarian, Mendoza says he conducts about 20 inspections per visit.

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