By Taylor Fleming
PEORIA, Ill. (25 News) – You may have seen spicy bowls for sale online or even bought some yourself, part of what the Peoria City/County Health Department said is a viral trend.
A recipe for spicy bowls with jalapenos, banana peppers, hard boiled eggs, and sausage has become popular online. The problem is that part of the trend is selling this food from homes.
The health department held an event Friday, not trying to penalize people, but trying to make sure spicy bowls are safe.
“Food is something we do every single day, and it potentially could make us very sick or kill us, environmental health specialist Casey Littlefield says. ”You want to pay attention to what you’re doing with it, and it’s not really that difficult to do things safely.”
Seeing potentially unsafe activity led to Friday’s event where health inspectors were making the bowls to give away, but they were made safely in a commercial kitchen at the health department.
As part of the event, community members could also learn about how to start their own food business safely and with proper certification.
“Come and talk to us. We can talk you through all the licensing options. There’s more than just brick and mortar, you can start smaller than that and grow your business. We’re always open and available to help people with that process,” Corine Peplinski, an environmental health training specialist, tells 25 News.
The health department says most residential kitchen appliances can’t keep large amounts of food at safe temperatures. Bacteria can grow on ingredients like meat and eggs if they are not properly refrigerated or kept hot.
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