ODA investigating truck of spoiled food headed to area restaurants

A box truck full of spoiled meat and vegetables was headed for at least nine restaurants in Youngstown and western Pennsylvania, according to police and documents from the Ohio Department of Health.

The restaurants are Super Buffet 8, 1212 Doral Dr., Boardman. which is now the Grill Buffet; 7 China Star, 3911 Market St., Youngstown; Fortune Garden, 4245 Belmont Ave., Liberty; Girard Wok, 44 W. Liberty St., Girard; 45 Great Wall, 2662 Mahoning Ave., Warren; Main Moon, 84 Connelly Blvd., Sharon, Pa.; Top’s Buffet, 2980 E. State St., Hermitage, Pa.; Golden Dragon, 244 N. Erie St., Mercer, Pa.; and the China Max, 1911 Leesburg Grove, Grove City, Pa.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol stopped the truck at 7:20 a.m. Aug. 15 on Interstate 75 in Butler County near Cincinnati. An inspector from the OSHP’s motor carrier inspection patrol saw the truck weaving lanes, the OSHP report says.

The inspector pulled the truck off the highway onto an exit and weighed it. It was 7,000 pounds overweight, the report says.

The inspector also noticed liquid running out the rear cargo area, and there was a foul smell, the report says.

He called a canine unit, and police opened the cargo door.

The inspector found open bags of raw meat, chicken and seafood spilling fluids onto vegetables and fruits. There were cleaning supplies in the rear with the food, the report says.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture responded to the scene, confiscated the food and had it taken to a landfill, said Patrol Sgt. Joe Luebbers, who investigated the case.

Restaurant owners who could be reached Wednesday seemed surprised the spoiled food was headed their way, but said there were no chances of it reaching customers because they always inspect food for freshness.

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