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Prison food worker says he was fired over rotten potatoes

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A food worker says he was fired after refusing to serve rotten potatoes to inmates at a northern Michigan prison.

Steve Pine of Sault Ste. Marie, who has worked for Trinity Services Group at Kinross Correctional Facility since July 2016, tells the Detroit Free Press about 100 bags of potatoes had mold. He says a corrections officer agreed the potatoes should be thrown out, but a Trinity supervisor disagreed.

Pine says he was fired Saturday. The Associated Press sent an email Friday seeking comment from Oldsmar, Florida-based Trinity.

Department of Corrections spokesman Chris Gautz says the potatoes weren't served. He says in an email to the newspaper that after an inspection about a third of the potatoes needed to be discarded, but a substitute was used to alleviate prisoner concerns.