Boston shop 'put people's health at risk' with out of date food, court told

A Boston shopkeeper who put his customers' health at risk by having out of date food for sale  has been banned from trading and landed with a hefty bill.
Boston Borough Council took action against the shopBoston Borough Council took action against the shop
Boston Borough Council took action against the shop

Boston Borough Council food hygiene inspectors found meat products displaying expired use-by dates on the shelves when they visited European Food and Wine in High Street, Boston, on May 17.

The goods included a pack of hot dogs that was 12 days out of date, and other meat products that were between four and one day out of date.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The councillor responsible for regulatory services said selling out of date food was unacceptable, and people's health had been put at risk.

Yucel Atici of European Food and Wine appeared before Boston Magistrates on Monday (September 24) and admitted offering for sale out-of-date food "which was not safe".

The products found by the inspector on May 17 included the Sokolow hot dogs with turkey, which should have been used by May 5.

The other products were a pack of Sokolow sandwich meat "Gratka", four packs Gaik smoked pork belly, and five packs JBB sausages, all with a use by date of May 13, and three packs Sokolow hot dogs with turkey with a use by date of May 16.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The court made a Hygiene Prohibition Order banning Mr Atici from operating a convenience store for the sale of food.

Magistrates heard there had been both formal and informal enforcement action taken against Mr Atici and fined him £500 with a £50 victim surcharge and ordered him to pay costs of £1,391.50.

The company was fined £8,000 with a victim surcharge of £170.

Mr Atici will have apply to the court to have the prohibition removed and to satisfy the court that he is a proper person to operate as a food business operator. He cannot make an application for at least six months.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Cllr Paul Skinner, Boston Borough Council's Portfolio Holder for Regulatory Services, said: "Despite ongoing formal engagement by our environmental health team, the food business operator put people at risk by offering out-of-date meat products for sale which is simply not acceptable.

"Whilst we are not aware that anyone became ill from these products, such irresponsible behaviour significantly increases the opportunity to induce food-borne illness.

"Protecting the public by preventing such opportunity through regular inspection and proportionate enforcement is the key priority for our environmental health team."

Related topics: