Our Environmental Health Officers have closed a butcher shop in Mitcham and forced them to undergo a deep clean.
Following a complaint from a member of the public reporting cockroaches being seen on the raw meat the inspectors visited Hashim Halal and Supermarket on 17 September and found a number of health risk conditions, including German cockroaches, mice and lack of adequate cleaning.
The conditions found posed an imminent risk to public health and a hygiene emergency prohibition notice was served closing the premises with immediate effect. We then applied to the magistrates’ court for a hygiene emergency prohibition order. Once the order was granted, the business had to remain closed until our inspectors were satisfied the health risk condition has been removed.
As of 30 September, the business has reopened following a deep clean and disinfection, an enhanced pest control treatment, and pest proofing to protect from further infestations. Our inspectors have thoroughly examined the premises, and are satisfied that it is now safe and hygienic.
A live adult cockroach on bag of rice. A dead juvenile cockroach is also shown on the white bag of rice. 
Dead cockroaches and cockroaches’ eggshells on cardboard box used to store packets of noodles. 
Mice droppings and gnawed polystyrene underneath the meat display cabinet in butchery area. 
Dead cockroach and cockroach faeces on bag of rice in retail area. 
Mice dropping on enclosed cardboard box.
German cockroaches carry a wide range of disease-causing organisms, which can cause diarrhoea, fever, vomiting and abdominal cramps. Transmission to humans can be caused by direct contact with cockroach faecal pellets, dead and live cockroach bodies. It can also be transmissible by contamination of the food surfaces and food packaging which the cockroaches come into contact with. German cockroaches are known to carry a number of foodborne diseases such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeriosis, E coli, Typhoid and Giardia.
Mice are virtually incontinent and produce between 80 and 120 droppings per day and their faeces, urine and saliva carry a wide range of disease-causing organisms, including many species of food poisoning bacteria such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, and viruses such as Leptospirosis. We know that no food business owner wants to get to this stage, and we’re here to help any existing or new food businesses to ensure they keep their premises hygienic and safe with food hygiene training and bespoke advice available.