Cooking fat maker to pay £6k+ for hygiene offences

AMKO-Martindale Foods’s owner Peter Martindale was charged with failing to comply with a Hygiene Improvement Notice, and failing to make sure staff employed in food safety management procedures had proper training.

Martindale was fined £315 for each offence, with a victim surcharge of £63. He was also ordered to pay costs of £5,473.63. Total costs amounted to £6,166.63.

‘Priority for the council’

Bolton Council executive cabinet member for environmental services Nick Peel said: “Ensuring all food businesses in the borough operate safely, and take their responsibilities seriously, continues to be a priority for the council. 

“AMKO-Martindale failed to provide adequate food hygiene training for its staff, putting the customers who bought its products at risk. We are pleased with the outcome of this case, which demonstrates the importance of food operators ensuring all of their staff are properly trained.”

In 2015, the manufacturer of goose fat, beef suet and beef dripping was issued three Hygiene Improvement Notices. Following an appeal from Martindale, he agreed to a consent order, which required the firm to train staff working in food safety management procedures by July 2016.

Food safety management procedures

Martindale failed to train the staff within the allotted timeframe, ruled Bolton Council, which brought the prosecution.

Bolton Council said it would continue to pursue all businesses that were non-compliant with food safety standards.

FoodManufacture.co.uk has asked AMKO-Martindale Foods for comment on the food hygiene offences.

Meanwhile, in May, food processor POE Ltd was ordered to pay almost £44,000 in fines and costs, after the company and the director were charged over a series of meat hygiene offences. Offences included: failing to provide hand-washing facilities and for distributing chicken livers and hearts to specialist retailers with incorrect labels.