Mountains of food destroyed after health inspectors raid firms operating on industrial estate near Northampton

Mountains of food had to be destroyed after council health inspectors raided four firms operating unlawfully on an industrial estate near Northampton.

Court documents showed magistrates made the destruction order after hearing OTG Foods Ltd, OTG Meats Ltd, OTG Products Ltd and Wold Farm Meats were processing and storing food in a unit at Wold Farm Industrial Park, in Broughton Road, Old.

The order applied to “all products of animal origin stored in the unapproved and unauthorised first floor walk-in freezer” discovered during an unannounced inspection on July 6, 2023. Among the food destroyed was chicken, mince, turkey, pulled pork, steak, fish, squid, a pallet of fish fingers, boxes of pork sausages and bread.

Cllr David Smith, West Northamptonshire Council’s cabinet member for Regulatory Services said: “council Environmental Health and Trading Standards Officers accompanied by an officer from the Food Standards Agency, carried out an unannounced inspection at Wold Farm Industrial Park, Old on 6 July 2023 and found that food was being unlawfully processed and a considerable amount of food was being unlawfully stored on the premises.

“The council had not been previously made aware that the food business was operating. All businesses have an obligation to register with their local authority.

“As a result, WNC officers instructed the business to cease processing food and sought to have the food on site condemned as there is no legal way to determine if the food was safe to enter the food chain under these circumstances.

“Magistrates agreed with the Council during a hearing on Wednesday 16 August 2023 and the food was ordered to be destroyed to prevent it from being used for human consumption. Investigations into the findings of 6 July 2023 are ongoing.”

In a separate case, the council was granted an order to destroy a similar amount of food found in an unapproved and unauthorised first floor walk in freezer at UNION FOODS LTD in Moulton Park also on July 6.

Magistrates ordered all five companies involved the cases to each pay £2,166.60 in costs.