A NORTH Ormesby chippy has been using dirty sponges, not defrosting fish safely and failing to properly clean preparation areas.

King’s Fish Shop was slapped with a one-star hygiene rating on March 30 and major improvements were called for. Now, after a freedom of information request by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the council has shared the damning report on conditions inside the takeaway.

Inspectors found raw food was being stored next to above or ready-to-eat food. The report states: “Any foods that may drip or fall into items below can result in cross-contamination that could lead to food poisoning.”

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Food hygiene inspectors also found that fish, classed as a high-risk food, was not being safely defrosted, which could cause bacterial growth. High levels of cleanliness and food hygiene awareness were also not adhered to.

The report added: “Dirty sponges were being used for cleaning equipment and utensils, presenting a risk of contamination. Sponges must be kept clean, and be replaced regularly. It is important that separate sponges are used for the cleaning of raw and ready-to-eat food equipment to prevent contamination.”

The Middlesbrough chippy also posed a risk to people with allergies as there no system in place to identify which allergens were in the food being sold. Also, the tiled wall, door and floor in the preparation room were damaged and therefore could not be effectively cleaned, leading the inspectors to demand they were repaired.

The council officers also flagged that the wooden utensils were inappropriate for use with high-risk foods due to the risk of contamination. Other equipment, including frayed clothes, a yellow scraper, and wire wool were all damaged and the report stated that they should be binned immediately.

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The report added: “The chopping board was worn and was not capable of being effectively cleaned and disinfected. This board must not be used and should be removed from the premises. High-risk areas were also not being cleaned thoroughly enough and inspectors said a ‘hand wash only’ sign should be moved from the sink not dedicated to hand washing.

The Local Democracy Service approached King’s Fish Shop for comment but did not recieve a response in time for publicatio.

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