A RUBERY restaurant has been ordered to pay almost £3,500 after pleading guilty to claiming curries contained lamb when they did not.
The revelation was made during a routine sampling exercise at the Massala Bite restaurant by Worcestershire Regulatory Services’ Trading Standards Team.
Officers purchased the ‘lamb madras’ from the restaurant on two occasions and, after they were analysed, the meat in them was found to be beef.
Company director Bodrul Mohammed Islam said the company had limited finances and therefore had used the cheaper meat.
He added the menus had not been amended for the same reason although staff had been told to advise customers of the use of beef instead of lamb.
But Trading Standards officers said that information was not relayed to them during their two visits.
The company was ordered to pay £3,489 including fines, costs and a victim surcharge.
WRS joint committee chairman, Coun Mark Bullivant, said regular inspections at food premises were carried out by Worcestershire’s Trading Standards.
“Our professional officers are committed to ensuring that food is honestly and accurately described, and will continue to take formal action where the law is flouted.
“The fine handed down by the magistrates in this case shows how seriously the court views such matters.”
He added the recent Elliot Review into the Integrity and Assurance of Food Supply Networks highlighted the need for the authorities to take a robust and zero tolerance approach to food fraud.
“Consumers need confidence in the county’s food businesses,” he said,
