Alert over infested food from condemned Bradford wholesaler

This week 30 tonnes of rice, dried beans, flour, lentils, semolina and other food from the Overseas Trading Company in the city’s East Bowling area are being destroyed by officials.

The food has been condemned as unfit for human consumption after sacks of produce were ripped apart by mice.

Bradford magistrates agreed last week that the warehouse should be closed down, and yesterday the city council was granted a court order condemning the food.

Huddersfield-based Kirklees Council said it had detained food from seven companies supplied by Overseas Trading, and action is also being taken by officials in Leeds, Bolton and Manchester.

The investigation began after Leeds council officers found packages goods containing rodent droppings, which were traced back to Overseas Trading, which describes itself as an importer, wholesaler and distributor of tropical food.

Angela Brindle, Environmental Health Manager at Bradford Council, said: “We have obtained a customer list from the company and have contacted all the local authorities with customers in their area.

“All the local authorities have visited these premises and detained anything which has been purchased from this company. After today’s order, the other local authorities will ensure that food purchased from the company is condemned.

“We will also take steps to ensure that the customer list has not omitted anyone else who purchased food from them.

“Investigations will continue and we will consider further formal action against this company.”

Magistrates heard that when officers first visited the warehouse the smell of rodent urine and droppings was “overpowering”. Environmental health officers found hundreds of packets and bags of dried food which they considered to be unfit for human consumption.