The hot dogs had been nibbled on by rodents (Picture: Evening Gazette)
A company has been fined thousands after hotdogs gnawed by rodents and rat droppings were found in a Teesside shop.
Samy Ltd was ordered to pay £10,750 after it admitted three offences under food regulations at Teesside Magistrates’ Court.
It comes after the company stocked hotdogs which had been ‘gnawed and partially eaten by rodents’ at Budgens on Premier Parade, Fairfield, Stockton.
The first charge accused Samy of putting unsafe food on the market – two packets of ‘smoked hotdogs found in the rear food preparation kitchen that had been heavily gnawed and partially eaten by rodents’ -a breach of 2004 food regulations.
The firm, based in central Middlesbrough, also admitted two offences of failing to comply with food safety and hygiene regulations from 2013.
At a sentencing hearing at Teesside Magistrates’ court on Monday April 9, they were fined £6,000.
The prosecution was awarded costs of £2,750 plus a victim surcharge of £2,000, making the total payable £10,750.
The hot dogs were discovered at the Teesside Budgens (Picture: Evening Gazette)
Carolyn Nice, Stockton Council’s director of adults, health and wellbeing, said: ‘All food business operators have a legal responsibility to ensure their food is hygienically prepared and stored safely.
‘Unfortunately the level of hygiene at Budgens by the food business operator, Samy Ltd, was unacceptable and the presence of rodents at the site put their customers at risk.
‘The council’s environmental health officers make every effort to help and educate local businesses but on this occasion the conditions found at the premises and risk to the public meant we had no choice but to bring them before the courts.
‘Members of the public should feel confident that food has been prepared safely and that’s why we work closely with food business operators to help them maintain good hygiene standards.’
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The rat-related charges come as it was revealed rats, cockroaches and lice are plaguing NHS hospitals.
Official data shows A&E departments, children’s wards, maternity units and staff kitchens have been affected by infestations.
Meanwhile, maggots were discovered in a mortuary and rat droppings in a body bag.
Some insects even bit workers in another sign of the failings of the government in the health service.
Hospitals have faced record bill to repair rundown buildings in attempts to cope with the more than 18,000 incidents in the last three years.
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