Lawmakers here are continuing to push a bill tha twould exempt non-profits from food inspection requirements.
“Food prepared in a private home can only be used if that facility is licensed/registered and inspected by the department,” state regulations say. The department adopted retail food rules in 2003 to keep pace with changing food science.
“One-third of all food-borne illnesses come from private fundraisers,” said Bill Chirdon, director of the Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services at Agriculture.
No mention of how many people each year become ill through interactions with overzealous bureaucrats.
As word of the pie bust at St. Cecilia spread, a Pittsburgh nun who has used bake sales to raise money “from Connecticut to Harlem to Ohio” said she was prepared to show inspectors what they could do with the rule book if they show up at her church.
I’m going to bet if state health inspectors went to Catholic school, and in this state there’s a good chance they did, they are going to take a pass on St. Cecilia. In fact, if you get the nun up to the Capitol to lobby for the bill, I’m going to bet it passes post haste.
There is no difference between regulating a bake sale and regulating your home kitchen. Nothing.
I’m tired of these government busybodies trying to save me. When a NUN is ready to tell you to shove your rule book up your ass, you’ve stepped over the line.
I want to see a nun chasing around legislators with a ruler in hand. I would pay to watch that. Maybe they could fix the budget problems that way?
I think most people know if the cookies are in a zip lock back, they should proceed at their own risk.
YAY! It’s high time that foodborne illness kills more people than guns. Maybe then I can get a raise.