To: Local Food AuthoritiesFrom: Food inspectors, Caroline Vagle and Sofie KjærDate: 28.11.11Subject: Concerns about hygienic conditions at “Peppes Pizza”.
Terms of reference:
This report is built up upon several complaints and pictures sent from customers at Peppes Pizza, who is concerned about the hygienic conditions at the restaurant in Larvik. The complaints have mostly been sent by email where words like cats, mice, insects and mould is mentioned. These words raise a tremendous concern, because it can be a health risk to the customers such as food poisoning and other food related diseases.
Proceedings:
The information the report is based on comes from customers, who have ate there. We have got concerned e-mails and phone calls, but also interviewed some of the persons who have contacted us about the problems. One of them, Mrs. Abrahamsen, told us that she had experienced mould on the bread she was served. Another, Mr. Hansen, had seen a cat walking around in the restaurant and so on.
Findings:
When we visited the restaurant we found several things that don't belong there. In the kitchen we found mice and traces of mice, several insects like ants and caterpillars on the kitchen-bench and on the floor. Another thing we noticed was that several of the people working in the kitchen didn't wash their hands after the rules of hand washing. From the outside of the restaurant we observed that the restaurant staff gave food to homeless cats and they also let the cats inside the kitchen. The last thing we noticed was that the restaurant was really dusty and dirty all over, and that the tables did get washed after the costumers left.
Conclusions:
Our conclusion is that something needs to be done in this restaurant, because if this goes on any longer some of the customers and in the worst case scenario some of the staff members are going to get really sick. The restaurant is breaking several rules serving people under the conditions we observed and the will face heavy charges if they don't do some changes.
Recommendations:
We recommend that the place is being shut down until they have cleaned up their mess and that the local food authorities sends the managers of the restaurant on a course in how to have a clean restaurant where people can feel that they're not going to get sick. When they have done some changes we think that the restaurant needs to be checked every month and if they fall back in old habits it should get closed.
Image source: http://toonje.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/peppes-logo-for-intern-bruk-av-avdelinger-logo_1.jpg