Kent cutting plant ordered to pay more than £9,000 for hygiene offences

A Kent cutting plant and cold store business which admitted responsibility for hygiene offences has been ordered to pay a total of £9,350.

The operator of KTM Meats Ltd, a white meat cutting plant and cold store, pleaded guilty to using dirty trays earlier this year at a hearing at Medway Magistrates’ Court.

The business was fined £2,680, and ordered to pay costs of £6,489 as well as a victim surcharge of £181.

On 27 January 2020, FSA officials conducted an unannounced visit at the plant in Gravesend and found re-usable plastic trays contaminated with dirt and grime being used to store exposed and bagged meat.

The FSA had previously warned the business for similar issues the year before. 

Plastic trays are widely used in the meat industry and can be a source of contamination if they are not cleaned properly. 

KTM Meats admitted that the trays were dirty on the day in question and have since increased the frequency of cleaning at the site and employed more staff to undertake cleaning duties. 

Simon Tunnicliffe, Head of Field Operations at the FSA, said: 

‘We take all breaches of hygiene regulations seriously.

“This business was fully aware of the hygiene issue at its site which they failed to address.

“Where businesses disregard food hygiene standards we will take action to ensure that public health is protected.”