Spoiled food

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning County health commissioner said seven restaurants that took delivery of spoiled food complied with orders to throw it out Thursday.

The Mahoning County Health District discovered the restaurants had the food after a TV station contacted it, Health Commissioner Patricia Sweeney said Thursday night.

The district contacted the restaurants — four in Boardman, two in Austintown and one in Struthers — by phone, then a sanitarian visited each one, she said, to ensure the food was discarded.

The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, 21 WFMJ-TV, said Mahoning Township, Pa., police stopped a box truck for a routine inspection on West State Street on Wednesday evening. It was carrying thawed food to restaurants in Mahoning County, and in Pennsylvania, Mercer and Lawrence counties.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture says the truck, operated by New Sheng Hung Inc. of Cleveland, was carrying meat, dairy and vegetable products. No deliveries made it to the three restaurants in New Castle or three in Sharon.

Officers found the truck’s refrigeration unit not operating. A DOA representative found the food unsuitable for human consumption. The truck was impounded; the food was taken to an Ohio landfill.

Restaurants on the delivery list were: House of China, Grand Buffet, Sawa Steak House, Shangrila Buffet, Boardman; Bamboo Garden, Little Hunan, Austintown; Golden Bowl, Struthers; Golden Wok, China Banquet Buffet, Great Wall, New Castle; Top’s Buffet, China Wok, Hermitage; Main Moon Buffet, Sharon.