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Shortage Of Arizona Environmental Health Inspectors Leads To Changes

Next time you pick up a tomato or cucumber, think about this: the same state workers who inspect medical marijuana dispensaries are now ensuring the safety of your salad fixings.

A shortage of sanitarians at the office of environmental health has led to some changes. Surveyors from the Bureau of Special Licensing, who inspect everything from dispensaries to assisted-living facilities and group homes, are now inspecting the 110 produce warehouses in Santa Cruz County.

Dr. Cara Christ, director of the Arizona Department of Health, said the surveyors are familiar with some food safety practices, since they often inspect kitchens.

"Since they were already out and about and know how to do the survey inspections to make sure facilities are safe, we thought we’d have our sanitarians teach our surveyors how to do those types of surveys and investigations," said Christ.

A sanitarian will still have to review and sign off on the surveyor’s inspection notes to ensure nothing was missed.

KJZZ senior field correspondent Kathy Ritchie has 20 years of experience reporting and writing stories for national and local media outlets — nearly a decade of it has been spent in public media.