THE full food hygiene report for a takeaway that received a damning zero-star rating has been revealed.

Last month, the Food Standards Agency hit the Stockton Fryer in Stockton Heath with a food hygiene rating of zero-out-of-five.

This was after it received a rating of one in September, following an initial inspection in August.

It should be noted that since the time of this inspection, which was January 31, the ownership of the business has now changed. The new food trading business, which is still called Stockton Fryer, is awaiting inspection.

Following the zero-star rating, the Warrington Guardian submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to reveal the full hygiene report taken from the time of the inspection.

First of all, the report notes that during the re-visit from August, there was ‘very little improvement made’, and that many of the contraventions previously listed were still outstanding.

Findings in the report are split into different sections.

Under food hygiene and safety, some significant findings were that food storage containers in the kitchen were dirty, food was being stored on the floor, a blue coloured chopping board was scratched and showing excessive signs of wear meaning it could not be adequately cleaned, and the blade of a heavy duty can opener was encrusted with food, which would cause contamination of the food in the next tin opened.

Another section is labelled ‘structure’. There were 15 different issues picked up here, mainly relating to the ‘dirty’ and ‘greasy’ condition of the kitchen. The owner was told that these ‘must receive their immediate attention’.

Here are just some of the structure findings the report lists:

  • The standard of cleaning to the structure of the Chinese kitchen including the work surfaces, walls and flooring was generally poor. A thorough deep clean is required.
  • There was a build-up of dead insects inside both of the electric fly killers.
  •  The standard of cleaning to the structure of the Chinese kitchen including the work surfaces, walls and flooring was generally poor. A thorough deep clean is required.
  • Spilt food was noted inside the refrigerators in the rear fish preparation room and inside the refrigerators in the Chinese kitchen. This is likely to attract pests and must be cleaned up immediately.
  • The wooden shelves in the dry goods storeroom were dirty.
  • The floor covering inside the dry goods storeroom was dirty especially at floor/wall junctions and underneath the shelving.

There is another section of the report called ‘confidence in management and control procedures’ in which it was noted that it was apparent during the inspection that the level of food hygiene awareness among staff was ‘inadequate’.

Here, it was also revealed that cleaning tasks were not being completed in line with the Safer Food Better Business pack, and that a food handler was using a yellow coloured knife dedicated for cooked meats with a green coloured chopping board designated for vegetable food preparation.

A number of recommendations were made by the inspector within the report, which are:

  • I recommend you introduce a system of date coding for high-risk foods to ensure stock is rotated and is not used beyond its shelf-life. A usual guide is that high risk food should ideally be used within 3 days of opening/preparation.
  • A packet of parsley was found in the rear kitchen Burger past its best before date (10.01.2024). The best before date is the date until which the manufacturer of the food guarantees the quality of that product. I recommend you do not sell food that is beyond the best before date and you check your goods regularly to ensure efficient stock rotation.
  • All food should be kept covered when stored in the fridge to prevent any possible risk of contamination. Food should be properly wrapped or stored in clean, lidded, washable containers.
  • There was no stock control system for food prepared on the premises. I recommend you introduce a system of date coding for high-risk foods to ensure stock is rotated and is not used beyond its shelf-life. A usual guide is that high risk food should ideally be used within 3 days of opening/preparation.

All information is taken from a Warrington Borough Council's public protection inspection.