According to a police report, Mahoning Township police stopped a truck operated by New Sheng Hung Inc. out of Cleveland on West State Street on Wednesday evening for a routine inspection. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture says the truck was carrying meat, dairy, and vegetable products.

 

The delivery route included four restaurants in Boardman, two in Austintown, one restaurant in Struthers, three establishments in New Castle and three locations in Sharon.


A news release says that the truck, which was stopped along route 224, just east of the state line, was stopped before making deliveries to restaurants in Pennsylvania.


Officers found the truck's refrigeration unit was not operating, and the meat and dairy products were completely thawed with internal temperatures greater than 60 degrees. The report also noted that there was evidence of cross contamination. 


A representative from the Department of Agriculture was dispatched to the scene, and found the food unsuitable for human consumption. The truck has been impounded and the food was being taken to an Ohio landfill.


Agriculture officials in Ohio and Pennsylvania provided a list of restaurants along the delivery route:


BOARDMAN


House of China

Grand Buffet

Sawa Steak House

Shangrila Buffet

AUSTINTOWN

Bamboo Garden

Little Hunan

STRUTHERS

Golden Bowl

NEW CASTLE, PA

Golden Wok

China Banquet Buffet

Great Wall

HERMITAGE, PA

Top's Buffet

China Wok

SHARON, PA

Main Moon Buffet

21 news contacted the restaurants listed, and received reaction from only five of the businesses.

The manager of Boardman's House of China said that they received news about the confiscated cargo less than a half hour before our call, but were having the meat inspected.

The manager of Sawa Steak House had just been informed by the  health department. But claims that the restaurant hasn't ordered from New Sheng Hung in a long time.

Sheng Dong, manager of Boardman's Shangrila Buffet also says they were notified by a health inspector Thursday morning. However, Sheng says that they only order paper and plastic products from New Sheng Hung, and that food items are ordered from companies in Pittsburgh.

An employee of the Great Wall restaurant in New Castle told 21 News that they also only buy food from a Pittsburgh company.

Investigators in Pennsylvania say New Sheng Hung Inc. and the driver of the truck will be cited once the investigation is completed.

Ashley McDonald of the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Division says her agency is investigating as well. McDonald says agents will inspect the New Sheng Hung facility in Cleveland on Friday.

WFMJ.COM reported a similar case last August when the Ohio Highway Patrol stopped a truck in Butler County carrying tainted food destined for restaurants in Akron, Boardman, Girard, and Liberty in Ohio, as well as restaurants in Sharon, Hermitage, Grove City and Mercer, Pennsylvania.