Inspectors found cooked rice on a dirty bed sheet in the yard of a Chinese takeaway in Leicester.
It was just one of a number of concerns identified by Leicester City Council food hygiene inspectors during their visit to Aashish Chinese King on Melton Road.
As a result of their findings, the takeaway was given a zero food hygiene rating.
The report found that inspector Adele Lee visited on August 27 this year and told takeaway bosses to “cease [the] practice immediately” when coming across the rice.
The inspector warned the owners that they must not keep cooked rice for longer than a day before disposing of it during their visit.
Other worrying findings during the inspection found that the takeaway was washing chicken – potentially spreading harmful bacteria through
splashing – and opened foods were found stored in a yard shed.
Opened eggs were also found on top of a microwave, with fears they may “drip” onto surfaces while cooked foods like Manchurian balls and chicken were found being stored at room temperature during the visit.
Inspector Lee also found that the kitchen layout was designed so that it was unable to be effectively cleaned and to prepare and store safe food due to its size
The takeaway’s handwash basin also didn’t have any hot water flowing through it, and the report found that the standard of cleaning in the kitchen was “generally poor”.
Extractor fans were found to be dirty and greasy, whilst walls and cooking equipment were lined with foil, forcing the inspector to order that the owners remove the foil from the walls and kitchen surfaces.
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Three of the chopping boards were also found to be dirty during the visit, and the report noted “excessive” rubbish building up in the takeaway’s yard.
Food hygiene knowledge among staff was found to be “inadequate” and “very poor” by the inspector, with owners asked to employ a food consultant to train staff on-site.
Garry Scrivens, health and food safety practitioner at Scrivens Safety Solutions and consultant to Aashish Chinese King, said that the takeaway was “new to the food industry.”
They added in a statement: “It had a number of teething problems when it opened. Since the council’s inspection, they have appointed me as their consultant and have made many improvements to ensure they comply with the law.
“They are committed to maintaining high standards and are working closely with the council”.
By Chris Harper (Local Democracy Reporter)
