Health Department investigating inmate claims of spoiled food served at Rush City state prison

The Minnesota Department of Health began investigating the Rush City state prison on Friday after inmates claimed they had been served rotten chicken and other spoiled food — allegations that were denied by Corrections Department officials.

The complaints were circulated Tuesday in a news release from the national advocacy group Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee (IWOC). It included comments from inmates upset with the quality of the food, particularly an allegedly rancid package of chicken served in February.

According to the IWOC, incarcerated kitchen workers on Feb. 14 thawed a newly delivered batch of frozen chicken that they said smelled bad and looked yellow, brown and pink. The prison’s cooking supervisor was said to have agreed the food was rotten but was overruled by the food services director.

Inmates said the chicken was ground up, marinated and served two days later as a teriyaki dish, despite complaints to the prison from inmates' family members.

Brandy Earthman of Golden Valley, who has relatives and friends at the Rush City prison, said she wanted to spread awareness after hearing about the allegedly spoiled food.

“To serve them rotten food that I wouldn’t even give to my dog, it violates all their human rights,” Earthman said in an interview. She said she wants outside oversight for food preparation in prisons.

In a statement Friday from spokesperson Shannon Loehrke, the Corrections Department denied the inmates’ allegations. Officials said staffers showed the chicken was not rotten before it was served and that they follow U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines for acceptable food-dating parameters.

“The recent accusations that [Rush City prison] served spoiled food are false,” Loehrke said. “Prior to serving the meals in question, staff demonstrated to the incarcerated people who had voiced concerns that the meat was not spoiled.”

Inmate Jermaine Ferguson said the prison’s cooking supervisor ate pieces of the chicken in an effort to prove it was safe for consumption. But the smell, Ferguson said, “was nasty to the point that we all wanted to throw up.”

The allegations of rotten food were not limited to the chicken. Earthman said she received calls and emails from inmates this year about moldy waffles and spoiled lettuce being served as well.

After the Minnesota Star Tribune forwarded the IWOC complaints to the state Health Department, officials said they would investigate that matter starting Friday morning.

“I have entered this in our system as a complaint, and the inspector will conduct an investigation,” said Angie Wheeler, manager of the Health Department’s Food, Pools, and Lodging Services Section, in a statement.

The Health Department regularly inspects and issues licenses for the Rush City facility. There had not been complaints filed about the food service before the last inspection in June, Wheeler said.

In the IWOC release, Rush City inmate Keith Crow said some in the prison didn’t know kitchen workers were concerned about the chicken and subsequently “ate food that will likely make them sick.”

Another Rush City inmate, Jonas Nelson, alleged that some containers for foods such as farina and oatmeal were labeled as not being for human consumption.

The IWOC also accused the Corrections Department of regularly purchasing “spot products” that are on the verge of expiring or have expired.

In rejecting the allegations, the Corrections Department said its contract with a commercial food distributor requires they meet food safety requirements and provide clean packaging, proper identification and proof of proper temperature control in handling and transportation. Packages must designate where the food comes from and that it’s fit for human consumption.

The Corrections Department also purchases food from lesser-known brands to provide a greater variety of wholesome food options despite budgetary constraints. According to its statement, the department “would not knowingly purchase and/or serve unsafe food.”