Belfast Mexican food company fined £3,000 for food hygiene offences

by Gráinne Connolly

Chalcos (NI) Ltd, who previously operated Chalcos Mexican Grill on the Lisburn Road in Belfast, have been fined £3,000 after pleading guilty to six food hygiene offences at Belfast Magistrates Court.

According to Belfast City Council, they included failure to protect food from contamination likely to render it unfit for human consumption and failure to put in place adequate procedures to control pests.

The company also pleaded guilty for failing to keep the food premises clean and it's equipment clean which came into contact with food, failure to provide an adequate supply of hot water to the wash hand basins and failure to provide adequate facilities for cleaning, disinfecting and storing work utensils and equipment.

The company were ordered to pay costs of £120 to Belfast City Council, who took the prosecution following a complaint alleging rodent activity at the premises.

During a visit to the premises on 13th January 2017, Environmental Health Officers found evidence of rodent activity in the food preparation areas and the company agreed to an immediate closure of the premises. 

Chalcos Mexican Grill has subsequently ceased training.