Public Health Lawyers Warn About The Importance Of Good Handling Of Food

Public Health experts at law firm Irwin Mitchell warn business owners about the importance of good hygiene standards when serving food after the owners of a chicken shop in Coventry were fined for failing to prevent food from contamination.

The owners of Stoney Fried Chicken, on Stoney Stanton Road, pleaded guilty to two charges of failing to maintain clean conditions and protecting against food contamination. They have been fined £828 in total for the breaches. 

The chicken shop was visited by food safety officers from Coventry City Council in January 2016 who discovered poor cleaning practices throughout the restaurant. It was reported that anti-bacterial sanitiser was not in use and officers had to train staff how to prevent the risk of cross contamination when handing raw meat. 

Officers found that food was stored on the floor in the outside store room and dirty cloths were used to wipe down services. 

Owners Basharat Ali, 30, of Leicester Causeway, Coventry, and Riasat Majeed, 37, of Dudley Street, Coventry, were both fined £150 for each offence, plus costs of £508 and a victim surcharge of £20.

Amandeep Dhillon, a Partner and Public Health expert at Irwin Mitchell, said: 

Expert Opinion

“We come across many cases where people have been left seriously ill with food poisoning as a result of eating food that has been prepared in poor conditions, not stored correctly, and not protected from cross-contamination.

“We support many of the Food Safety Agency’s campaigns to promote good hygiene and to raise awareness of what consumers should look out for when buying food, and what standards owners serving food should abide by.

“Good hygiene standards at food outlets should be the bare minimum to expect for any consumer wanting to purchase food. Public safety should be the main priority for anyone handling food so it is important that businesses make sure they are abiding by the right procedures before opening their doors to the general public.”
Amandeep Dhillon - Partner

If you or a loved one has suffered food poisoning due to poor hygiene standards, our illness solicitors could help you claim compensation. Visit our Food Poisoning Claims page for more information.