The operators a red and white meat cutting plant in Birmingham have been fined and ordered to pay over £43,000 after being found guilty of food hygiene breaches.

Inspections and audits at the FSA approved site were increased in frequency following a number of failings being identified by agency officials.

Agency officials initially worked with the business in order to achieve improvements after identifying a number of failings. However, the resultant increase in audits and inspections found further breaches between June and August 2017 which led to legal action being taken.

Charges were brought against the business for:

• not adequately training the staff responsible for developing and maintaining the food safety hazard analysis plan (HACCP plan)
• having gaps in the roller shutter door which could allow pests into the site.
• not maintaining the floor to wall joins in good condition.

Sandwell Foods Ltd pleaded guilty to the charges and sentencing took place on Monday 19 November.

Birmingham Magistrates Court ordered the business to pay a fine of £36,000, costs of approximately £7,190 and a victim surcharge of £170.

Dr Colin Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer of the FSA, said:

‘The substantial fine sends a strong message to businesses that choose to disregard the hygiene standards which are put in place to protect consumers.’

‘The FSA takes these breaches of food safety regulations very seriously and, as this case shows, we will prosecute those businesses that fail to uphold acceptable standards of food hygiene.’