THE OWNER of a a takeaway in Rubery has been fined almost £3,000 for breaching food safety hygiene regulations.
Haroon Kiyani, 39, who owns James’ Fast Food, pleaded guilty to seven offences including failing to keep the premises clean, not having procedures in place to avoid pests and keeping food in inappropriate conditions during a court case on January 7.
The premises, on New Road, was investigated by Worcestershire Regulatory Services’ Environmental Health officers on March 10 last year after complaints from members of the public about hygiene standards.
Officers found a lack of effective cleaning as excessive food debris was found on surfaces and equipment. There were also insufficient hand washing and toilet facilities and officers identified a number of cross-contamination issues.
As well as food debris and general waste, a container was found in the back yard containing used cooking fat which could attract rodents to the property.
A dead rat was also found in the yard where officers discovered a bag of rice, sugar and cans of soft drinks.
A chest freezer was found with a damp, wooden board in place of where the original lid would have been. The officers found the rim of the freezer to be covered in dirt, mould, and an excessive build-up of ice so the door would not shut.
Inside the freezer the officer found 20 packs of raw chicken breasts and fillets which the owner told the court were due for collection the next day.
All the packages were damaged so the meat was exposed to contamination from the dirty freezer and as such rendered unsafe for human consumption.
In total, Worcester Magistrates Court fined Mr Kiyani £2,830 along with £2,428 in costs and a victim surcharge of £190, meaning he must pay £5,488 in total.
After the hearing, a Worcestershire Regulatory Services spokesperson thanked officers for their swift and concise action which ensured the safety of customers and avoided any physical harm.
“Mr Kayani did work with our officers who carried out a further inspection on April 16 and found significant improvement at the business.
“They gave the establishment a level four hygiene rating which qualified as good.”
