Food Plant Operated Out of House, Officials Say

City officials have taken steps to shut down a food-processing plant that has been allegedly operating illegally out of a house for several years.

The unlicensed plant, located in a middle-class neighborhood of nicely trimmed lawns, allegedly is violating health codes and its products could pose a health risk to consumers, according to documents filed by the city Friday in Orange County Superior Court.

The city today will request an Aug. 22 hearing for an injunction to shut down the operation, which was first investigated in January 1994. County officials at that time reported improper storage and illegal meat sales at the home at 10622 Kern Ave. to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, according to court papers.

The officials at that time had discovered 150 pounds of uninspected pork stored outdoors and inside at room temperature. Officials deemed the meat products unsafe for human consumption, the city said in court papers.

But it was unclear what, if any, action was taken against the owners, who deny selling any meat or food products. A June 11 raid by county and city health officials uncovered similar violations to those found two years ago, the court papers said.

Deputy City Atty. Joe Forbath said he is uncertain what happened between the January 1994 and June 1996 raids.

“The city was not asked by the county to assist in the prosecution until May of this year,” Forbath said.

County health officials referred comment to the city’s attorneys.

It is illegal to process foods for public distribution at a residence, said John Ralls, a county health specialist. There were no reports of anyone becoming sick from foods processed at the home.

The latest action was prompted after city and county officials found unwrapped raw pork stored on the ground outside the home during the June raid, Forbath said. Bacteria that cause fever, diarrhea and headaches can spread rapidly on foods at temperatures of 86 to 113 degrees.

Officials obtained a search warrant to enter the home after they observed people loading white, unmarked bags from the home into car trunks.

Officials witnessed one person delivering the bags to a Garden Grove restaurant, court papers state.

Forbath said animals were not slaughtered at the home. He said the pig carcasses were purchased elsewhere and brought to the home for butchering. Most of the chopping was done in the backyard where tables, washbasins and large butane burners were set up, Forbath said.

“The concern is they are doing these things on the ground and in the open air,” Forbath said. “That’s where you get the potential for diseases.”

Also found on the premises were 16 gallons of frozen pig blood, 70 gelatin cubes of boiled pig blood, 93 pounds of noodles, several cases of shrimp and fish sauce, 2,000 pounds of bagged rice, 70 gallons of fermenting mung beans and several hundred pounds of frozen pork, according to legal documents.

Commercial meat processing equipment, including a slicer, a grinder and a tabletop band saw, also were found outside the home, owned by Hanh Tran and Mary Pham. They live there with their son, Trang Tran. All were named as defendants.

The equipment does not meet USDA standards, the city contends.

Hanh Tran said the meat on the premises is used to prepare meals for homeless people and for functions at the Nha Dong Dong Cong church in Corona. The pork blood, for instance, is used to make rice soup, he said.

“I don’t sell the food, I just cook it for [the church] to help out at major festivals or to help feed the poor,” Hanh Tran said.

--Also contributing to this report was Times correspondent Binh Ha Hong.