The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Supervisor Kathryn Barger Tuesday directing County departments to develop a “Seal the Meal” educational outreach campaign on safe food handling for delivery platforms and restaurants, officials said.
The motion was approved on the heels of an investigation by an undercover reporter who found meal delivery personnel allegedly eating the food they were delivering.
“There are simple, easy-to-implement measures that can be taken to ‘seal the meal,’ which ensures that food is safe from contamination while in transport,” said Barger, who suggested a cooperative approach rather than a regulatory action. “Restaurants and delivery services understand that sealed packaging and safe food handling practices improve overall customer satisfaction, which is good for business.”
In recent years, food delivery platforms have become increasingly popular among Los Angeles County and Santa Clarita residents, helping restaurant sales surge, according to officials.
Food delivery mobile apps such as GrubHub, UberEats, Postmates, Caviar and DoorDash are important contributors to the economy that provide a supplemental income for drivers and ensure local restaurants are easily accessible to residents, according to officials with Barger’s office.
The motion states that while food delivery platforms are an overall benefit to local residents, it is important to ensure drivers are practicing safe food handling.
In addition to educating drivers about best practices, the programs would encourage drivers to use sealed delivery packaging, in partnership with the California Restaurant Association, to protect food from contamination during transport.
Officials believe that collaboration between the industry and the County would mitigate an increase in consumer pricing while boosting consumer confidence.
Departments are set to report back to the board in 45 days with findings and recommendations for the program, according to officials.
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