Customers put at risk of food poisoning from out of date meat products as shop owner told to cough-up £5,500 at court

A Trading Standards investigation into the sale of unsafe food found UK SP Star, on Victoria Road, Southampton, had 32 items past their use by date.

Southampton City Council prosecuted UK SP Star director Sudhir Patel after a complaint by a member of the public.

The inspection revealed most of the 32 items were meat products – with one eight weeks past its use by date.

The packaging of one meat product which was past its date had blown, indicating microbiological activity.

Food past use by is deemed unsafe in law.

The business had been advised following a similar previous complaint to remove all such food from sale but had failed to follow the advice which included simple precautions such as daily rotation of stock.

During interview Patil said he had not carried out checks on the items while each of his two staff thought the other had made the checks, when neither had done.The company was fined £4,000, with a further £250 towards costs and a victim surcharge of £190. Patil was fined £1,000, with a further £250 towards costs and a victim surcharge of £100.

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Member for environment, councillor Steven Galton, said: ‘The sale of unsafe food is unacceptable, and puts consumers at risk of food poisoning. Precautions to prevent these offences would have been simple, involving the daily checking and removal of foods past their date.

‘Hopefully this sends a strong message out to other food traders on the importance of ensuring such checks are undertaken.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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