Food transportation law allows police to cite hot trucks

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Tuesday afternoon, a semi truck was pulled over in Clinton County. Food was being stored in over 100 degree temperatures.

Police said nearly 2,000 pounds of rotten food was thrown away. The driver of the truck was cited for unsafe transport and temperature of food.

The Food Transport Law, signed into law in March, allows police to cite the drivers of hot trucks. However, there are no set dollar fines. A driver will have to call the court and a judge will decide the penalty.

Tuesday's hot truck had already delivered food to Everything OK Chinese Buffet in Frankfort. The health department contacted the restaurant before any of the food was served.

The truck was on its way to Lafayette. More restaurants were on the list of delivery, including Fortune House on State Road 38.

No one at Fortune House wanted to appear on camera, but they say kitchen employees inspect food shipments carefully. They look for a layer of ice on the food, meaning it has begun to defrost, and they look for damaged packaging.

Employees said if they see food with the layer of ice or damaged packaging, they don't accept the food.

Indiana State Trooper, Nate King, admits a new law is hard to get started.

"With every new law, everything could be tweaked a little better," King says.

Police continue to make suggestions to the law to make penalties harsher.

"If the refrigeration units aren't working [on the trucks], they could maybe be put out of service right then and there," King said. "So, they'd have to fix it before the truck got moving."

"We're doing everything we can to keep this bad food off of your plate," King said. "Your family is eating at these restaurants, my family is eating at these restaurants, we don't want anyone to get sick."