A Leeds takeaway has pleaded guilty to “food fraud” after selling a supposedly lamb bhuna which was actually an entirely beef dish
Mr Sajid Hussain Riaz, owner of Venice Pizza & Bombay Tandoori, Commercial Road, Leeds, appeared before Leeds Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to offences under the Food Safety Act 1990.
He was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £2112.48 prosecution costs.
On 26th November 2014, following receipt of a complaint, an Officer from West Yorkshire Trading Standards visited Venice Pizza & Bombay Tandoori. The Officer placed an order for a Lamb Bhuna, as advertised on the trader’s standard menu.
The Lamb Bhuna meal was collected by the Officer and was subsequently submitted to and analysed by the Public Analyst. The analysis determined that the meat used in the Lamb Bhuna was beef.
When quizzed Mr Riaz stated that he initially had asked his supplier for Lamb, however was unable to provide any evidence of this. The receipts he provided to West Yorkshire Trading Standards stated “meat”. He thought that there must have been a misunderstanding between him and his supplier.
David Lodge, Head of Trading Standards said: “Consumers rightly expect to get what they pay for. Trading Standards will continue to take action against takeaways or restaurants flouting the law.”