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Mojo’s: Port Melbourne pizza shop hit with $50k fine for filthy standards

A grubby Port Melbourne pizza shop has been exposed on a shame list after vermin were found in the kitchen.

Mojo's Pizza and Pasta Bar, Port Melbourne. Source: Google maps street view
Mojo's Pizza and Pasta Bar, Port Melbourne. Source: Google maps street view

A popular pizzeria in Port Melbourne has been slapped with a whopping fine after vermin, food waste and filthy buildups of grime and grease were found in the kitchen.

A Port Phillip Council inspector made the discovery at Mojo’s Pizza and Pasta Bar in Port Melbourne during a routine surprise inspection of the eatery in 2019.

The Bay St pizzeria was also found to be storing food unsafely and had failed to provide adequate handwashing facilities.

Melbourne Magistrates’ Court heard that between February and September 2019, the eatery had failed to follow the Food Standards Code more than a dozen times.

Inspectors found food was at risk of becoming contaminated – which can cause violent illness or even death.

The pizza and pasta bar was found in a filthy condition with no way to stop pests coming in, or kill those inside, and rubbish accumulating.

The hygiene in the takeaway shop was also lacking with no warm water or soap for washing hands available.

Staff had not been given basic food safety training and were not wiping and cleaning surfaces food was on.

The previous owner, MU Investments Pty Ltd, was convicted and fined $50,000 over the breaches and was also ordered to pay the council’s costs of $15,000.

Mojo's Pizza has been under new management since December 2019 and the new owners were not involved in the breach of the Food Standards Code.

Port Phillip Mayor Louise Crawford said previous owners had been given multiple opportunities to bring the venue up to standard but these had been ignored.

“We rarely undertake food-related court prosecutions as most business owners want to do the right thing and protect their customers — and their own reputations,” she said.

“In this case, several opportunities to comply ... were ignored so prosecution became the only option.”

The pizzeria has also been added to the State Government’s Food Safety Convictions register.

And the eatery has since been given a fresh start after new management took over recently.

Cr Crawford said Mojo’s had been inspected twice since the new owners moved in, including as recently as last month, and “was found to be in full compliance” with the Food Act and the National Food Safety Standards.

MU Investments Pty Ltd could not be contacted for comment.

jordana.atkinson@news.com.au

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-south/mojos-port-melbourne-pizza-shop-hit-with-50k-fine-for-filthy-standards/news-story/aab8c02fcd498cea9f9ba7e90698024f