Shopkeeper cops huge fine over 104-day old meat

If you ever need a reminder to check the expiry date on packaged food before chowing down, let this be it. A shopkeeper has been slapped with a massive fine after selling almost 50 out-of-date meat products — and not just be a few days.

Inspectors found five packs of sliced poultry that was 104 days past its sell-by date. They also stumbled across three packs of sliced beef 97 days past their use-by date, four packs of turkey rashers 90 days past their expiry date, and five packs of sliced turkey 83 days beyond theirs.

Owner Aamir Masood of BK Stores in Leeds pleaded guilty to offences under England's Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations after the food was found during a routine inspection in November last year. He claimed his suppliers had failed to replace his out-of-date products and that date code checks were carried out in his shop once a week.

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$14,000 fine for expired products

He was fined £3,840 ($7,450), and ordered to pay a contribution towards the prosecution costs of £1,888 ($3,685) and a £1,536 ($3,000) victim surcharge. The total bill stood at £7,264 ($14,185).

Health danger

Trading Standards manager David Strover said: "Businesses must ensure that they undertake regular date checks on items bearing use by dates, they must invest in appropriate staff training and recording methods to ensure these checks are performed. It is the responsibility of food retailers to ensure such checks take place.

"Use-by dates are placed on foods which are highly perishable from a microbiological view and are therefore likely, after a short period, to constitute an immediate danger to human health. Trading Standards will continue to take action against any businesses flouting the law."

JAM PRESS

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