Misdescribed Takeaway Curry Sees Pair Taken To Court

A 42 year old takeaway owner has been taken to court following a Trading Standards investigation into the sale of misdescribed food from his premises in Ystrad Mynach. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Abdul Malik, of Capel Crescent, Newport who is the director of Spice Box (Ystrad) Limited, trading as Flavours of India on Bedwlwyn Road, Ystrad Mynach and Saila Meah, 40, of Watch House Parade, Newport, a business partner, were taken to court following an investigation which was instigated by a customer complaint. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In July last year, Caerphilly’s Trading Standards team received a complaint from a member of the public, alleging that the lamb in curries purchased from the takeaway was not in fact lamb, but possibly beef. Trading Standards subsequently purchased a sample of the lamb biriyani on sale at the premises, which was analysed and found not to contain lamb, but beef. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Investigations revealed that Meah was responsible for purchasing meat from a wholesaler in Newport, and that generally they purchased lamb, chicken and mutton. It identified that on one occasion beef had been supplied in error, and that Meah was informed of this. He claimed that as soon as he discovered the mistake, he did not use the beef, although examination of the business records was not able to accurately identify what meat was used and when. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Abdul Malik and Saila Meah both pleaded guilty to an offence under the Food Safety Act 1990 when the case was heard at Newport Magistrates Court on Friday 10th June 2016. In pleading guilty, both told the court that they have now put procedures in place to prevent further occurrences. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Both were fined £1,330, and both were ordered to pay costs to the council of £668 and a victim surcharge each of £120. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The court also told the pair that the business had no effective traceability procedures and that there was no accurate labelling, and as they were in the public service industry the courts took these types of offences very seriously. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Nigel George, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Public Protection said, “Ensuring the correct labelling and description of food products is extremely important, particularly so in light of the potential for allergic reactions. We’re sadly all too familiar with the case of the gentleman from north Yorkshire who died due to eating food containing undeclared allergens, so this case brings into sharp focus the importance of ensuring customers receive correctly labelled and described food. I’m pleased the courts shared our concerns about the severity of this issue”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​