A Northern Ireland based food business has been fined £2,000 in court for breaches of food hygiene legislation.
GB Poultry Ltd, with an address at Mary Street, Crossgar, was convicted yesterday (Thursday, May 21) at Downpatrick Court of two charges under the Food Hygiene Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006.
GB Poultry Ltd supplies fresh, locally sourced chicken and meat products to shops, butchers and restaurants throughout Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Court
GB Poultry Ltd was convicted in court on one charge of carrying out an activity without notifying the competent authority.
According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the activities were rewrapping a product supplied by another company.
The business was also convicted of one charge of carrying out activities without the required approval.
DAERA confirmed that GB Poultry Ltd pleaded guilty and was fined £2000.
Inspections
The case arose following joint inspections on December 16 and 17, 2024 by officials from DAERA Veterinary Public Health Programme, the DAERA Welfare and Enforcement Branch, the Food Standards Agency and Newry Mourne and Down District Council.
The inspectors found products which originated in another establishment which had then been rewrapped with GB Poultry Ltd packaging, which GB Poultry are not licensed to carry out.
The court heard that officials also found crates of chicken mince which GB Poultry are not licensed to produce.
DAERA said that breaches of the Food Hygiene Regulations can lead to immediate and serious potential food safety issues, putting consumers at risk due to the potential production of unsafe food.
The regulations implement EU hygiene directives and establish a risk-based framework for ensuring that food is produced, handled, and distributed in hygienic conditions.