Uxbridge restaurant fined more than £40,000 after allergen contamination led to customer being hospitalised

JR Uxbridge Ltd, trading as Javitri, of 112 High Street, appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Tuesday 22 April and pleaded guilty to five offences in breach of health and safety at work, food information, and food safety and hygiene regulations. 

The company was fined £35,000 and required to pay a victim surcharge of £5,000 and the council's prosecution costs of £3,816.   

The council's food hygiene and safety officers investigated the premises on 26 June 2024 following a complaint from a customer with a nut allergy who ordered a meal with undeclared allergens and suffered a severe allergic reaction resulting in hospitalisation. 

During the investigation, officers found significant failures in the management of allergens including, nuts stored incorrectly in the kitchen, incomplete menu descriptions and uncertainty regarding recipes despite staff having undertaken the Food Standards Agency's allergen training earlier that month.  

Council officers provided the restaurant with a detailed report outlining the required improvements, including identifying the ingredients and allergens in every dish. A follow up inspection on 16 July found little improvement had been made, and subsequently an improvement notice was served, requiring accurate allergen information to be provided to the council by 13 August. 

Officers revisited the restaurant on 14 August and were presented with an allergen menu, meant for customers, that was confusing and still contained inaccurate information which would still place anyone with allergies at risk. 

The business was ordered to send a revised menu with clear allergen information to the council by 21 August. The documents received were inadequate and despite multiple requests for clarification, no further revisions were received. 

Cllr Eddie Lavery, Hillingdon Council's Cabinet Member for Community and Environment, said: "It's a legal responsibility for all food businesses to provide accurate allergen information to customers and ensure what they are producing and selling is safe. This case shows that failing to do so can have severe consequences for people with allergies. 

"Our food standards team works hard to protect residents from harm through routine inspections, educating businesses, serving improvement notices and if required taking legal action against businesses that neglect their responsibilities. Let this be a warning to businesses that they need to operate in line with regulations or they will be fined."  

Find out more about the council's food hygiene inspections or report a food problem at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/food-hygiene.