NEW YORK - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced earlier this week that he is seeking letter grades for the city€™s 5,100 food carts, the same that are given to each of the city€™s 22,541 restaurants, My Fox New York reports.

However, the New York City Health Department, the agency responsible for grading city restaurants, said it is not ready to handle grading mobile food vendors yet.

"We may disagree on this one," Bloomberg said. "Personally, I would love to see, before I buy from a cart, a sign up there telling me whether or not the guy washed his hands before he reaches in and pulls out the hot dog I love to eat from street vendors."

City health officials said the matter is one of resources: With 115 to 140 inspectors, only 20 are assigned to the city€™s food carts.

"Letter grading of mobile food vendors would require a number of considerations that are quite different from restaurants," the agency said. "Carts are mobile, making regular re-inspections €" such as those done at restaurants as part of grading €" more difficult."

The New York City Health Department said it planned to add handheld computers for field inspections within the next two years, allowing it to address food cart grades.