Dry wipes, flaking walls and no 'suitable' sanitiser at takeaway given zero hygiene rating
Unsafe handling of raw meat, cross-contamination and unclean surfaces have led to a kebab shop being handed a zero food hygiene rating.
Kebab House, in the Whitmore Reans area of Wolverhampton, was handed the lowest possible rating after a recent inspection.
The takeaway at the Avion Centre in Bargate Drive has more than 5,000 followers on Facebook, where staff regularly post food pictures and videos of food, and has continued to post after the damning inspection rating, which also noted its food preparation conditions were unsafe.
The inspector discovered that raw meat was being prepared above ready-to-eat food like bread, despite "ample space" in the kitchen to accommodate separate food preparation areas.
Staff who were preparing raw meat were "observed wearing over clothes, such as aprons, and not replacing them once the task was completed, before moving on to handle ready-to-eat foods".
In a damning report, the inspector said: "There was no suitable anti-bacterial sanitiser available on site to clean down surfaces and equipment. There was a supply of wipes, but they were dry upon opening, which indicates that they have not been used for some time."
A 'suitable' anti-bacterial sanitiser is one that meets legal requirements, kills germs and prevents diseases like E.coli.
The inspector also noted that "the walls by preparation areas are flaking and presenting a contamination risk", and gave staff 14 days to "scrape away any flaking paint and plaster and re-paint". She gave them seven days to do a deep clean after noting that the shop was 'in need' of one.
The report also illustrated their poor cleaning methods, saying staff would use "the same cloths and sponges for raw and ready to eat items, clean away raw juices and meat, and move on to wash chopping boards and knives used to prepare salads and bread".
'Numerous' takeaway staff were unable to provide documents or records for examination, which included food safety course certificates and fridge temperature logs, which were said to be kept off-site. They must be shown at a follow-up inspection.
The inspection finished with all staff being advised to complete a Level 2 food hygiene training course and must produce evidence of it within the next 28 days.
Kebab House declined to comment.
