Selling frozen meat pies at room temperature has cost a Boston shop owner more than £3,000 in fines and costs.
Ilhami Dilner, appearing at Boston Magistrates’ Court, pleaded guilty to three offences of keeping meat pies at a temperature that might result in a risk to health. The pies were intended to be sold frozen, and carried instructions that they must be kept at or below -18°C.
The court heard that food safety officers from Boston Borough Council visited the shop in June, July and October last year, finding packs of defrosted pies on the shelves each time. Despite being told to keep the pies frozen, Mr Dinler continued to instruct his staff to take packs out of the freezer and display them on the shop shelves.
Cllr Deborah Evans, portfolio holder for environmental health at Boston Borough Council, said: “Food business owners who don’t operate within the food safety legislation will not be tolerated.
“It’s immensely important that we protect customers from businesses which put people’s health at risk.
“Our environmental health team work hard to ensure the public’s safety and are on hand to give businesses the advice they need to ensure that they are providing a good service.”
Mr Dinler was fined a total of £1,740, plus £1,235 costs and a £175 victim surcharge, a total of £3,160.
