On Wednesday 19 March 2014, Pizza Express Restaurants Ltd were fined £8,000 plus £2,890 costs at Peterborough Magistrates Court, in a case brought by Huntingdonshire District Council, after a woman eating a pizza at the Pizza Express restaurant, 105 High Street, Huntingdon cracked her tooth when she bit on a metal screw which had been in her pizza (Photo on Flickr).
 |
| [relatedPosts title=”Related Posts”] |
|
|
- Council: Huntingdonshire District Council
- Fine: £8,000
- Costs: £2,890
- Total: £10,890
Following the incident, the customer contacted the District Council’s Environmental Health Food Safety team who carried out an investigation into the allegation. The investigating officer, Mrs Tracey Ibbett, discovered that the metal screw came from one of the trays storing the dough balls used to make the pizza bases.
Pizza Express Restaurants Ltd admitted to selling unsafe food, and to failing to keep equipment, i.e. the dough trays, in such good order, repair and condition so as to minimise the risk of contaminating foods.
Magistrates stated, when sentencing, that they had taken account of the defendant’s early guilty plea. The Magistrates also suggested that the company consider more fully replacing the dough trays at all restaurants with more suitable alternatives.
Councillor Robin Howe, Executive Councillor for Healthy and Active Communities, said:
“All food businesses have a duty to make sure that the foods they prepare and sell are both safe to eat and not contaminated. As a result of this incident, the company has amended its procedures and carried out refresher training. In addition, the restaurant has replaced the dough trays with more suitable alternatives.”
