Asda in Cannock given one out of five food hygiene rating - the second worst possible score

The Asda Cannock superstore on Avon Road, Cannock, was given the rating of one following an unannounced hygiene inspection on Monday, June 20.

Three specific categories areas are inspected during hygiene visits and this is how the supermarket scored:

• Hygienic food handling - Hygienic handling of food including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage - 'Improvement necessary'

• Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building - Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building (including having appropriate layout, ventilation, hand washing facilities and pest control) to enable good food hygiene - 'Very good'

• Management of food safety - System or checks in place to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat, evidence that staff know about food safety, and the food safety officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in future - 'Major improvement necessary'

Cannock Chase Council released the full report after a Freedom of information request (FOI) was made.

The areas inspected in the store during the unannounced visit were the warehouse, yard, store, rotisserie, pizza counters and bakery.

The report said: "Hot food below 63⁰C for over 2 hours in the Rotisserie Counter. Staff in open counters lacking effective up-to-date training and understanding in hot holding and cross contamination avoidance.

"Food stored in the covered yard outside. Out-of-date foods placed around the store and not in designated 'waste areas'.

"Dirty overall worn by Pizza Counter staff member.

"Perceived lack of management checks as to the operating temperature of the Rotisserie hot counter. Lack of adherence to company procedures for the Rotisserie Counter."

The report also states that there was generally good standards for structure, general cleaning and disinfection, equipment, lighting/ventilation, and pest control, but there was a lack of food hygiene training, lack of management checks on rotisserie, and staff lacked awareness/training updates, and a lack of company procedures were being followed.

Asda press office has been contacted for comment.