COEPRIS (Baja California Sur’s state commission for health risk protection) launched its annual Lent food safety operation, sending inspectors to fixed and semi-fixed food stands in all five municipalities of the state. The campaign targets seafood vendors selling raw and prepared fish and shellfish, the staples of Cuaresma menus across the peninsula.
What Inspectors Check at Food Stands
Verification teams are reviewing current health documentation, active operating permits, and food-handling certifications for all staff. Inspectors also check compliance with Mexican federal hygiene standards covering refrigeration practices, kitchen cleanliness, and potable water use.
Beyond the food stands themselves, the operation extends to water purification plants and ice factories. These facilities supply the ice and drinking water used by hundreds of street vendors and small restaurants. Hand-washing supplies, pest prevention measures, and waste disposal systems also fall under review.
COEPRIS head Ethna Quiroz confirmed that inspections are running across La Paz, Los Cabos, Comondú, Loreto, and Mulegé. La Paz alone has roughly 11,000 registered fixed and semi-fixed food vendors, based on previous COEPRIS counts, so the operation covers significant ground.
Seafood Season Raises Foodborne Illness Risk
Lent, which runs through mid-April in 2026, is peak season for ceviche, aguachile, and other raw seafood dishes at street stalls and beachfront stands. Improperly stored shellfish and fish carry elevated risk of diarrheal diseases, particularly dangerous for children and older adults. Baja California Sur’s warm climate compounds the problem because refrigeration failures happen quickly in daytime temperatures that can top 30°C (86°F) by March.
The agency ran a similar operation in previous years. In September 2025, COEPRIS temporarily banned street food sales in parts of La Paz and Los Cabos affected by sewage spills, showing the commission’s willingness to shut down vendors when public health is at stake.
Residents or visitors who spot unsanitary conditions at any food stand can file a complaint through the official portal at http://www.coeprisbcs.gob.mx or call the COEPRIS office in La Paz at 612-125-0578. The office is located on Calle Bravo between Josefa Ortíz de Domínguez in Colonia Centro. Reports trigger follow-up inspections, according to the Baja California Sur state government.