A café in Northwood has received a zero-star hygiene rating after a Food Standards Agency (FSA) inspector found evidence of “engrained dirt”.
Caffè Casa Mia on Green Lane received the review after being inspected in March of this year.
In the recently published report, the inspector recalls being presented with a “dirty probe that was not functional” to test food temperatures, whilst also being told that the café’s Safer Food Better Businesses pack had been left in a car in Manchester.
Worktops were found to have a build-up of long-term dirt, staff were using designated meat boards for preparing cheese and salad, and there was evidence of mould on the ceiling.
The report stated: “During our inspection, it became evident that your staff lacked the understanding of key principles of food hygiene and safety.
“Many prerequisites such as cleaning and disinfection of work areas and equipment and the safe handling, preparation and storage of food items were not being adequately followed.
“We found multiple items of semi-cooked food that were prepared in-house, frozen and kept in your freezers without any indication of date labelling.
“We also found a packet of Waitrose chicken liver, and another packer of Frankfurters Smoke sausages that had gone past their use-by date still in storage with other food items for sale on your premises. Although you said that this was earmarked as staff food, this was not marked as such and given that it was stored amongst other food for sale, one can only think it was indeed up for sale too.”
A spokesperson for Hillingdon Council said: “We would only take action to close a business on food hygiene grounds in line with FSA guidelines. They say that closure is an option if hygiene standards are very poor and pose an imminent risk to public health. This was not the case with Caffé Casa Mia and urgent matters were resolved quickly.”
Caffè Casa Mia has been contacted for comment.
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