Shopkeepers fined over rotting food

Mohammed Yasin and Ifthikar Hussain of Leeds-based Noshi Foods

International, each pleaded guilty at Leeds Magistrates Court to 23 separate breaches of marketing standards.

As a result, the firm's director Mr Yasin, and Mr Hussain, its

secretary, were fined 23,000 and ordered to pay 8,014 costs - bringing the total liability of 31,014.

The firm, based in Harehills Road, Leeds, was prosecuted after a series of visits from inspection visits from the Horticulture Marketing Inspections service over a 13 month period.

During visits inspectors found rotting pears, cauliflowers, lettuces, lemons and garlic – as well as other foods such as mushrooms and courgettes which were deemed "not fresh in appearance".

Inspectors also found a further 16 products which failed to meet the labelling requirements, 15 of which did not state the country from which the food came.

A spokesman said: "Concerted efforts were made by the HMI to work closely with the firm's sales staff and management; this included face-to-face meetings, verbal warnings and the issue of formal written notices."