Shop owner fined after meat found up to 33 days out of date

Polish smoked sausages, salami, turkey pizza ham, meat loaves and bacon were found past their use by dates by a range of four to 33 days.

Inspection teams found 34 out of date items at Warszawa convenience store in Caldmore Green, Caldmore, Walsall.

Walsall Council Trading Standards seized the items when officers visited on November 6, 2018, but just 22 days later officers found another meat product was on display that was six days past its use by date, a court heard.

Owner Soran Jalal Mohammed accused council officers of "planting" the old meat item in his chiller, but later confirmed that he had checked his CCTV in the shop and agreed Trading Standards had not planted the meat.

He then said a customer "must have taken one of his food items and later left it in his shop" - as he did not sell that particular item.

Mr Mohammed admitted displaying food in shop chillers and baskets that was significantly past its use by date at Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court last week.

The court heard that the items seized had posed a serious risk of food poisoning to the public and in a couple of cases the food was over a month out of date.

He pleaded guilty to 14 separate food safety offences and was fined a total of £2,233 including court costs - with two of his most serious breaches receiving a £700 fine each.

Councillor Garry Perry, portfolio holder for regulatory services at Walsall Council, said: “This is a good result for the council – despite previous warnings this retailer ignored the law and advice he was given. He has now paid for it.

"The judgment and his hefty fine should act as a strong deterrent not to cut corners when it comes to food safety, food retailers who ignore this - be warned. We will enforce the law and we will prosecute.

“I also want it to become law, for all food businesses to display their food hygiene and safety ratings in plain view of the buying public, this includes shops. I am lobbying parliament to make this happen.”