PA State Police Announce Results of Crackdown on Hot Food Trucks

In a press release, the Pennsylvania State Police announced the results of its “Operation Code R.E.D. Enforcement” program.

Operation Code R.E.D., or Refrigerated Enforcement Detail, is a state-wide inspection enforcement that took place on April 23, of this year and targeted trucks transporting potentially hazardous foods.

“During Operation Code R.E.D., the Pennsylvania State Police and the Department of Agriculture worked together targeting food trucks to make certain that these trucks and our food are both safe,” said State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan.

“The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is committed to food safety from farm to fork, and Code R.E.D. helps ensure food remains safe temperatures while in transit,” said Agriculture Secretary George Greig. “Code R.E.D. helps keep food in transit fresh and safe for our restaurants, retailers and consumers.”

During the one-day inspection blitz, state police and food inspectors inspected nearly 400 trucks throughout the state and issued 115 traffic citations and gave 259 written warnings for driver and vehicle safety violations.

According to the press release, 10 trucks violated laws pertaining to the safe transportation of food and seven of the ten were found to have unsanitary cargo areas.  Three others were found transporting potentially hazardous foods at unsafe temperatures.

The following is a breakdown, by state police troop area, of the number of inspections conducted and citations/warnings issued by state police during the one-day program:

• Troop A (Cambria, Indiana, Somerset and Westmoreland counties), 12 inspections; one citation; 16 warnings.
• Troop B (Allegheny, Fayette, Greene and Washington counties), 33 inspections; 13 citations; 28 warnings; three trucks with unsanitary cargo areas; two trucks transporting food at unsafe temperatures.
• Troop C (Clarion, Clearfield, Forest, Elk, Jefferson and McKean counties), 44 inspections; nine citations; 35 warnings.
• Troop D (Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Lawrence and Mercer counties), 23 inspections; no citations; five warnings.
• Troop E (Crawford, Erie, Venango and Warren counties), 28 inspections; nine citations; 17 warnings.
• Troop F (Cameron, Clinton, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Union and Tioga counties), 19 inspections; five citations; eight warnings.
• Troop G (Bedford, Blair, Centre, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata and Mifflin counties), 23 inspections; nine citations; 25 warnings.
• Troop H (Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Perry and York counties), 45 inspections; six citations; two warnings.
• Troop J (Chester and Lancaster counties), 35 inspections; 11 citations; 14 warnings; four trucks with unsanitary cargo areas; one trucks transporting food at unsafe temperature.
• Troop K (Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties), 39 inspections; 12 citations; 33 warnings.
• Troop L (Berks, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties), five inspections; no citations; one warning.
• Troop M (Bucks, Lehigh and Northampton counties), four inspections; no citations; six warnings.
• Troop N (Carbon, Columbia, Monroe and part of Luzerne counties), four inspections; one citation; four warnings.
• Troop P (Bradford, Sullivan, Wyoming and part of Luzerne counties), 13 inspections; six citations; nine warnings.
• Troop R (Lackawanna, Pike, Susquehanna and Wayne counties), 30 inspections; 16 citations; 32 warnings.
• Troop T (Pennsylvania Turnpike), 38 inspections; 17 citations; 24 warnings.