Rodent and bird infestations at India at Home food packing warehouse leads to $30k penalty
WANT rat with that? A disgusting Dandenong South food packing business infested with rodents and birds has been labelled a “disgrace”.
South East
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A DIRTY Dandenong South food packing business infested with rat, mice and bird faeces has been labelled a “disgrace”.
India at Home was hit with a $30,000 penalty after pleading guilty to 12 food standard breaches at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
Another twenty-six charges against sole director Rajesh Bhatia had been withdrawn.
The company imports large quantities of food to their Dandenong South warehouse and repacks them for resale at retail stores in Dandenong, Clayton, Footscray, Hawthorn, Box Hill, Burnside, Epping and Glenhuntly.
The court heard Greater Dandenong Council officers went to the Rodeo Drive warehouses on May 18 last year to follow up a complaint about labelling.
When they looked inside they found rodent droppings, evidence of rat and mice nests, bird faeces, dirty equipment, floors and walls, and open food containers all over the two side-by-side sites.
There were also problems with the packing and labelling of known allergy-sensitive products, such as sesame seeds, which potentially could cause an anaphylactic reaction or death.
Magistrate Steven Raleigh said as someone who had trained as a commercial chef he knew the importance of strict food controls.
He said these breaches were “significant, serious and dangerous”.
“Bird faecal matter, rat droppings, mice nests — this is just a disgrace” Mr Raleigh said.
“This should be a warning to the community; I believe your reputation should be tarnished.”
Defence lawyer Sebastian Reid said the company “admitted its shortcomings and failings” but was now compliant.
He said Mr Bhatia’s health deteriorated last year which led to a drop off in control over the management of the “local business success story”.
“The company (now) has the benefit of just how poorly it performed,” Mr Reid said.
India at Home was placed on a three-year good behaviour bond and must pay $30,000 to charity Avocare, who provide meals to the community.
Court costs of $5000 were also imposed.