APA News
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Minton Treharne & Davies Ltd Public Analyst involved in prosecution of takeaway whose 'lamb curry' was mainly beef
During December 2018, officers of Neath Port Talbot Council’s Trading Standards team ordered a lamb curry from Pasta & Papadums, of 40, Neath Road Briton Ferry.
On analysis, the meal was found to be mainly beef, with a lamb content of between 10% - 50% detected. At interview, the owner of the business, Balakrishna Reddy Garadannagari blamed his suppliers for the mix up, but could not provide written records for tracing this product back to his suppliers.
At Swansea Magistrates Court on the 28th of January, 2020, Mr Garadannagari, who lived above the business, pleaded guilty to one offence under S.14 (1) of the Food Safety Act 1990 selling food not of the nature demanded and one offence of failing to provide traceability information under Reg4 (c )the General Food Regulations.
Mr Garadannagari was fined £400 with £825 costs and a £40 victim surcharge. The business had ceased trading during the investigation.
A spokesperson for Neath Port Talbot Council’s Trading Standards team said: “Over the last four years year the Trading Standards section has successfully prosecuted a further four takeaways in the County Borough for the same offence.
“The cost of lamb has risen and has become expensive in comparison with other meat. Unscrupulous traders buy the cheaper meat, and try to pass it off as the more expensive products. Food fraud of this kind means that the nefarious trader gets an unfair advantage over their competitors whilst at the same time ripping off consumers.”
If you have any information on any food standards or trading standards issue, please call your local Citizens Advice Consumer Service for the information to be relayed to Trading Standards.
