This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The Salt Lake Valley Health Department did a sweep of local taco carts last week, shutting down eight street food operations for numerous health and safety violations.

All eight businesses were cited on Wednesday Sept. 5 for "preparing food at home and not at an approved commissary," according these notices on the department's food protection website. Several carts had other violations including holding meat at too low of a temperature and storing raw meat above ready-to-eat foods.

Here are the carts that were closed and their respective violations.

Taco America, 200 S. 500 West • Food was prepared at home and not at an approved commissary; exterior of the cart and around the cooking area was not clean.

La 35 Mexican Food, 1471 S. Industrial Road • -Food was prepared at home and not at an approved commissary.

Tacos Dona Mary #17, 1780 W. North Temple St. • Food was prepared at home and not at an approved commissary; food was stored at home and not at an approved commissary.

Tacos Don Martin, 2100 S. 1100 East • Food was stored at another location and not at an approved commissary; Food was prepared at another location and not at an approved commissary; food was held out of temperature in the back of a van; food was contaminated from ice water in a cooler.

Tacos Alex Cart, 3874 W. 3500 South • Food was not prepared at an approved commissary; cooked salsa, carnitas (cooked pork), and cooked beans were not prepared at an approved commissary; cooked meats were holding at 101 to 109 Farenheit in a car.

Tacos Y Tortas Guadalajara El Chalin, 6980 W. 2100 South • Prepared food in the cart was not prepared in an approved commissary; food was stored at the operator's home.

Tacos Las Gueras Cart, 3200 W. 2670 South • Food was prepared and cooked at home; there was no refrigerator at the commissary for cold holding and for cooling food; cooked meat was hot holding at 115 Farenheit (too low); raw sausage was stored on top of ready-to-eat food.

Tacos Guzman, 652 S. Redwood Rd. • Prepared food was stored at home in a refrigerator; food prepared for service was stored at home.

For more details visit: http://www.slvhealth.org/cfml/foodProt/foodEnf.cfm