Cockroach ‘found in food’ from city takeaway

The China Dragon, in Inglemire Lane, Hull, was ordered to close after a series of “imminent” risks to public health were found on the premises following the complaint.

Environmental health officers did not find an infestation of cockroaches on their visit but were sufficiently concerned by other issues to issue a hygiene emergency prohibition notice.

These included:

Food found cooling outside.

Open food stored in a shed.

Food stored in a lean-to structure.

Evidence of mice in food preparation and storage areas.

No food safety management.

No disinfection of food preparation surfaces.

Food handlers not washing hands.

Takeaway boss Zhou Xing Li was not present at a subsequent court hearing which extended the closure.

As well as being given details of the complaint about the cockroach, the court also heard there was no date labelling of food and poor stock rotation. The business had been given an E rating for “very poor” and scored 15 out of a 100 when it was previously inspected by the city council.

The inspection was part of the council’s Scores on the Doors scheme.

Coun John Hewitt, portfolio holder for Citysafe, said: “Environmental health officers responded quickly to a serious complaint and took swift action to close the takeaway and protect the health of the public.”

He added: “The Scores on the Doors rating scheme and the new Food Hygiene Rating Scheme we are adopting exist to provide members of the public with clear information on the findings of environmental health officers who make regular inspections of food premises.

“I urge all shoppers and diners to seek out this information.”