Takeaway hit with fine for unsafe food

CURRY HOUSE PUT PEANUTS IN DISH ORDERED AS PART OF STING

A ROGUE peanut has cost a curry house £4,600 in a council sting operation.

Asmara Indian Cuisine of Freehold Street, Blyth, was slapped with a hefty fine after nut traces were found in a chicken korma, despite the customer warning she had an allergy.

The restaurant was busted as part of a series of random sampling of Indian takeaways carried out by Northumberland County Council last year.

On July 14, 2017, posing as an ordinary customer, a Trading Standards officer ordered a chicken korma and plain pilau rice from Asmara, specifically asking for no peanuts.

The order was taken by a female member of staff and the nut-free request was confirmed by takeaway owner Abdul Karim.

Analysis later revealed the curry contained 26mg/kg of peanut which made it unsafe for allergy sufferers.

Asmara Indian Cuisine Limited was fined £3,000 for selling unsafe food and charged a further £500 for selling food with rogue ingredients at South East and Mid Northumberland Magistrates’ Courts.

The takeaway was also ordered to pay £250 legal costs, £743.50 investigation costs and a £170 victim surcharge, making a total of £4,663.50 in fines.

The curry house had previously featured in sister paper The Chronicle on a list of the best restaurants in Blyth as ranked by TripAdvisor in 2016.

Coun John Riddle, Northumberland County Council’s cabinet member with responsibility for housing and public protection, said: “We welcome this strong sentence from the courts which should serve as a warning to other establishments that flout food safety laws.

“With around two million people living in the UK with a food allergy and around 10 people in the UK dying from reactions to food every year due to undeclared allergenic ingredients or poor food preparation practices, this is an issue that every takeaway, restaurant and food supplier in the county has to make a top priority.”

Philip Soderquest, head of housing and public protection, said: “This fine sends a strong message to the trade that the courts will take these issues very seriously. We are happy to advise business owners if they have any concerns at all.

“We would rather provide advice and support to businesses rather than prosecute, but we will do so where the circumstances support it.

“Nut and peanut allergies can cause a severe reaction called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis may begin with some of the same symptoms as a less severe reaction, but then quickly worsen, leading someone to have trouble breathing, feel lightheaded, or to pass out. If it is not treated quickly, anaphylaxis can be life-threatening.”

Of the six stings carried out by the council, this was the third one which went to court.

Since December 5, the restaurant has been under new management and is now trading under Blythe Catering NE ltd, which is owned by partners Jamal Hussain and Foysol Miah.

Mr Hussain said: “This will never happen under our ownership. We have been in the trade for many years and we’re not that stupid.”

He said that Mr Karim no longer works at the restaurant, that they are happy to cater to all dietary requirements and will be updating the men.