Takeaway fined after meals served containing peanuts

The business was fined over the offences, which happened in 2022

The directors of a takeaway have been fined a total of £1,345 after admitting to serving potentially dangerous meals twice.

Tests found food from the Little Indian takeaway in Mirehouse, Whitehaven, contained peanuts, when a nut-free meal had been requested.

Koyesh Ali and Giash Uddin, who run the business, both pleaded guilty at Workington Magistrates' Court to selling unsafe food.

Cumberland Council said it was "disappointing and very concerning" the premises had been caught committing the same offence twice.

Ali was fined £653 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £261, while Uddin was told to pay £692 and a victim surcharge of £277.

They were also ordered to pay £1,000 costs each, at a hearing on Monday.

Test purchases

In July 2022, a council trading standards officer ordered a lamb tikka korma curry, stating they were allergic to peanuts and that the meal must not contain any.

The officer was advised by a member of staff that the meal would not contain any peanut but would contain coconut powder, Cumberland Council said.

However, tests later found the meal contained peanut.

Cumberland Council’s trading standards team informed the business of the results of the test purchase in August 2022.

The business was warned that the amount of peanut in the meal was sufficient to provoke an allergic reaction to someone with a peanut allergy, and that such reactions can be fatal.

The following October, a trading standards officer called the takeaway again with an order for three chicken tikka kormas, making it clear they were allergic to peanuts, the council said.

On entering the shop to pay for the meals, the officer was given confirmation that the meal did not contain peanut when they asked.

The sample was sent for analysis and it confirmed peanut in the meal, which was unsafe for a person who was allergic.

Councillor Bob Kelly, from Cumberland Council, said: “We really hope that the conviction and penalty will serve as a clear message to every food outlet across Cumberland.

"The message is a simple one - they must take great care of their food production, the information they publish about their food, and the way they respond to customer queries."