For the second time in a week, maggots were found in food at Michigan prisons, with both cases putting the spotlight on the food provider the state is contracted with.
The first time maggots were found, about 30 inmates at one prison in Jackson County fell ill with food poisoning. The maggots were found "near" the food being served and not actually in the food, state officials said.
The second time, maggots were found in a bag of spoiled potatoes in another Jackson County facility. The potatoes were thrown out immediately.
Last year, the state of Michigan eliminated 370 state jobs in favor of privatizing its prison food services, contracting with Aramark Correctional Services based in Philadelphia. Since then, including the maggots, there have been a number of issues.
One Aramark employee was caught smuggling pounds of marijuana into a prison. In another case, there were allegations of sex between an Aramark employee and an inmate. And even the state itself has complaints, stating that Aramark hasn't been providing inmates with enough food and swapping out nutritious menu items for filler.
The state is currently locked into a three-year contract with Aramark, but officials now say that the chances of renewal are "up in the air."
Photo via AP