Sushi store owner fined for eight food hygiene offices (From Surrey Comet)

New Malden sushi store Jin Mi owner fined for eight food hygiene offices by Kingston Council

7:30am Monday 18th March 2013 in News By Ross Logan, Chief Reporter

A New Malden food store owner has been fined more than £5,000 for breaking food safety laws.

Sooryun Kim admitted eight food hygiene offences at Richmond Magistrates this week.

Breaches at her sushi and grocery store - Jin Mi in Kingston Road - included failing to control the risk of E.coli contamination by letting customers use the same implements to serve themselves raw and cooked meats.

She also failed to keep the store and equipment clean, did not provide handwashing facilities for staff in the food preparation area and did not have employees wearing proper overclothes.

Kingston Council had issued Kim with a warning to improve hygiene in 2010, having reported problems since 2006.

But on three separate inspections last year she allowed standards to slip, the court heard.

Kim was fined £4,000 - £500 for each offence - and ordered to pay £1,200 costs plus a victim surcharge of £15.

Councillor Simon James, lead member for environmental health and trading standards, said: “I hope that this prosecution sends out a strong message that the council takes any breach of the law and risk to public health extremely seriously.

"We work with businesses to ensure that they comply with rules and regulations in the interests of consumers.”