Tipton meat cutting plant ordered to pay over £18,000 for hygiene breaches

A meat cutting plant in the West Midlands has been ordered to pay more than £18,000 for failing to correctly apply ID marks to carcasses which allows them to be identified.

The site owner of Noor Halal Foods Ltd was also charged with a further offence for using unclean trays to store wrapped meat.

The business pleaded guilty to both offences at a hearing at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court on 30 May 2019. The Court fined the food business £12,000 and ordered them to pay costs of £6,086 and a victim surcharge of £170.

The FSA initially provided advice and guidance to the business about the correct application of ID marks and the required standard of cleaning for plastic trays used to store meat products.

In April 2018 the FSA served Remedial Action Notices which required the business to take immediate action to comply with regulations. However, when FSA officers returned to the plant on 24 May 2018 and again on 21 June 2018 they observed breaches which led to the plant being prosecuted.

Poultry meat must have an identification mark applied by the food business operator before it is placed on the market. It helps to show that it has been produced in accordance with legal requirements and is an integral part of the food chain traceability system.

Dr Colin Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer said:

‘The FSA takes breaches of food hygiene regulations very seriously.

‘Identification of products helps ensure that food can be verified and allows food to be traced back to where it was produced.

‘We welcome this fine for the disregard of procedures that are put in place to protect consumers and the industry.’