Complying with regulations here is either quite expensive or totally impossible. Thus there is a thriving food black market here in my region of Hawaii. I frequently partake in this market, but I use
common sense when choosing who to get food from. There are some people that I would be extremely hesitant eating stuff prepared by them in their kitchens, so I don't. Before buying foods, I get to know the person a bit first. Ya know, I do the same thing when buying food from legitimate market vendors too. I've discovered that not all farmers are honest and often misrepresent their produce. We use to have one who used chemical sprays right up to the day of picking....so totally against the rules and good sense. Thus I get to know my farmers and food producers now.
Our food black market operates in some farmer markets, along the roadside, in the parking lots of other businesses, out of their homes, and via home delivery. These are some of the items I have bought or traded for via this black market:
Baked goods (bread, cookies, pies, cakes)
Milk and cheese
Jams, jellies, syrup
Spaghetti sauce
Pesto
Fruit and veggie juice
Dried herbs
Sea salt
Fish and meat
Dried fruits and veggies
Honey
Eggs
A commercial kitchen cost a minimum of a couple thousand to set up here. Depending upon the situation, it could be tens of thousands. And if one lives in an unpermitted house (well over 50% of homes in my area are unpermitted) it is totally impossible to create a commercial kitchen.
Until recently the county officials tended to ignore the commercial kitchen requirement in certain situations as long as one is willing to pay them $75 every 120 days(maybe it is 90, I don't remember) in the form of a "temporary vendor permit". And currently they are "inspecting" all food vendors now issuing pass/fail placards. This has stopped the sale of fresh eggs, since it is impossible to comply with regulations on this island. Egg sales are now
underground, though it's a hotly demanded item.
I live in an area the has a lot of poverty, and low or
retirement income. Black market businesses makes our economy function here and allows people to survive. I won't argue whether it's right or wrong, but I will say that the system works here. Without it my region would
experience extreme difficulty.
Joseph, I can empathize with you. The public has allowed themselves to be regulated to death and be required to pay unreasonable amounts in permit fees, all in the name and/or under the guise of food safety. While I support safe food, I see that our regulators have taken things to extreme and beyond. My opinion, of
course.