Formal Caution for two Farnborough food businesses

Two food businesses in Farnborough have been formally cautioned for food hygiene offences following an inspection by Rushmoor Borough Council.

On Friday 13 May 2011, Mr Shu Yue Chung, Managing Director of Perth (10) Limited trading as Golden Rice, 24 Queen's Road, Farnborough admitted two food safety offences, which were discovered by the council's Environmental Health Officers, during an inspection in March 2011.

Mr Chung, was found smoking within the business while handling food. He was also served with a £50 Fixed Penalty Notice under the Health Act 2006 for the offence of smoking in a smoke free premises.

During the visit, Mr Chung, and other staff, were also found not to be wearing any over clothing in a food preparation area.

Mr Chung admitted the offences, which included failing to ensure that food was protected against contamination, and failing to wear suitable, clean and protective clothing in a food handling area.

On the same day, Mr Khongsak Phairin the Food Business Operator of Thai Pairin, 35 Queens Road, Farnborough accepted six Formal Cautions relating to food safety offences committed in January 2011 including:

· the lack of a food safety management system in place to ensure that food was stored and produced safely

· an extremely dirty premises

· areas of the premises being in poor structural condition

· poor lighting in the kitchen

· equipment in a dirty condition, and

· food being put at risk through unsafe storage

At the time of these offences, food was thrown away and the premises was voluntarily closed until matters had been rectified.

Both businesses were shown as Unsatisfactory on the Council's www.safe2eat.com website, which provides real time information on the current hygiene status of local food businesses following inspections by the Council.

Councillor Steve Masterson, Cabinet Member for Safety and Regulation at Rushmoor Borough Council said: "In both these cases, the Council has acted swiftly and appropriately, and I hope that these actions send a clear message to others that unsatisfactory standards of food hygiene and safety that pose a threat to our residents will not be tolerated."

In issuing the Cautions, Qamer Yasin, Head of Environmental Health and Housing at Rushmoor Borough Council said: "We are very keen to support businesses through sensible and appropriate regulation, however it is clear in these cases that further action was required to secure the necessary improvements and deal with the risks to public health. While both businesses admitted food safety offences they were warned to ensure compliance with food safety law in the future and accept the responsibilities that these duties impose."