The owner of a business in Bexley has been fined over £4,500 after breaching food safety regulations after an infestation of cockroaches were found on their premises. Food safety officials took action against the bakery after environmental health officers found an infestation of cockroaches in different areas of the premises including the food preparation area.
Cockroaches were also found to be living and breeding in various machinery. Cockroaches like to hide during the day in warm dark areas and the motor housings of appliances like fridges and freezers are favourites as these are on 24 hours a day supplying constant heat.
Some food handlers were found to be not wearing any suitable personal protective clothing and equipment and there were also holes found in the suspended ceiling with flaking plaster tiles directly above some of the preparation and cooking areas. There were also heavy build up of food debris found in corners behind units and appliances, giving a plentiful supply of food to the cockroaches.
Other breaches of food safety regulations found included: No hot running water in some hand wash basins, no adequate on site training for staff regarding safe food preparation and an inadequate ventilation system in the kitchen.
The owner was also closed down for 1 month to give them time to get the problem professionally treated and the premises cleaned to the satisfactory standards of the HSE.
