Inspectors destroy takeaway supplies

HEALTH inspectors were forced to take the "extreme measure" of confiscating and destroying food found at an Edinburgh takeaway to stop it being served up.

When inspectors visited Green Kitchen, Chinese, Japanese and sushi takeaway at 108 Raeburn Place, they found cooked beef stored in a cardboard box which had previously contained raw poultry, chicken which had been kept at room temperature and handled in an unhygienic way, and boiled rice which had been exposed to the risk of chemical contamination.

They seized all three and destroyed them to prevent them being served. It is the first time the city's health inspectors have ever confiscated food at an inspection.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court this week, Sheriff Gordon Liddle ruled in favour of the food safety team's decision to destroy the food.

He said the takeaway's operator, Chang Yun Wang, must meet the costs of the operation.

A report will now be submitted to the procurator fiscal regarding possible future charges relating to hygiene standards at the takeaway.

Following an initial inspectors' visit, the takeaway had closed temporarily on a voluntary basis for a clean-up and then reopened.

But when the inspection team returned on 24 June, the takeaway was still found to be operating unhygienically.

The takeaway was forced to make a second temporary closure. It has now reopened.

A spokeswoman for the restaurant said: "The problem is solved already and the environment team talked to us and said we can open again.

"There were hygiene problems and we tried to do our best to clean all this and they said it's OK now, so we're starting again."

Inspectors are expected to continue monitoring the takeaway's standards of cleanliness. City environment leader, Councillor Gordon Mackenzie, said: "I'm shocked by what was happening in this restaurant and applaud the swift and effective action taken by our staff to safeguard the health of the public.

"Fortunately, this type of incident is relatively uncommon and I'm sure that the public will be reassured by the Sheriff's ruling."

Last month, it was revealed that the city's health inspectors had uncovered a catalogue of food hygiene problems at supermarkets in the city.

Among their findings were mouse droppings under the crisps section of Scotmid in Marchmont Road, beetles in the bakery at Somerfield in Shandwick Place, and large birds in the warehouse at Asda at the Jewel.

All the supermarkets had to carry out clean-up operations after the shortcomings were uncovered by the inspectors, who make regular, routine visits to all food businesses.