0:00:01 > 0:00:05Contaminated food, undercooked food, out-of-date food,
0:00:05 > 0:00:06all posing risks to our health,
0:00:06 > 0:00:10and causing 20,000 of us a week to fall ill.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12It's clear we need protection -
0:00:12 > 0:00:15we need people who can stop the bad stuff getting into the food chain.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18We need people who have the power to close businesses down
0:00:18 > 0:00:20if they don't stick to the rules.
0:00:20 > 0:00:24We have those people - they're called the Food Inspectors.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28Throughout this series, we'll be with them
0:00:28 > 0:00:31as they leave no cupboard unopened...
0:00:31 > 0:00:33You've got insect legs in there.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35..and no shelf unchecked.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38You haven't got a pest problem, have you?
0:00:38 > 0:00:43We'll be there as they take on the businesses that flout the rules.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46They've never got a good word for you.
0:00:46 > 0:00:51And we'll be revealing the invisible risks you run every time you eat out.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53You're exposing your customers to food poisoning.
0:01:05 > 0:01:06Let's go.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09This week, the battle with the bottle
0:01:09 > 0:01:12as the inspectors crack down on fake booze.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15You can see why organised criminals are into that more than drugs.
0:01:15 > 0:01:21Coming to a store near you - the drink that can make you blind.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24This has been made with industrial chemicals.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28Having second thoughts about a liquid lunch? Wait till you see the solids!
0:01:28 > 0:01:31It looks like you've got separation going on in there.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33There's some contamination.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36'I'll be in the lab as we go bacteria busting,
0:01:36 > 0:01:40'and, is your kitchen sink cleaner than a toilet?
0:01:40 > 0:01:42'Our very own Food Inspector finds out.'
0:01:42 > 0:01:43- Are you ready?- I'm ready, go on.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51Now, we hear a lot about Britain's drink problem.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54From weekend binges in our towns and cities
0:01:54 > 0:01:57to the growing quantities we're tending to drink at home.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00But while the problem's all too real,
0:02:00 > 0:02:02the alcohol increasingly isn't.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06In some parts of the UK, a quarter of retail outlets
0:02:06 > 0:02:08were found to be selling counterfeit booze,
0:02:08 > 0:02:11so it's clear this problem now goes way beyond
0:02:11 > 0:02:14the pub car park or car boot sale.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16But, could you tell the difference
0:02:16 > 0:02:20between counterfeit booze and the real thing?
0:02:24 > 0:02:27These guys can tell the difference.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31- It's their job to sniff out the bootleg booze...- It's counterfeit.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37..And the hooky hooch.
0:02:37 > 0:02:38It's counterfeit.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44Jon and Andy's patch in Brent, North London,
0:02:44 > 0:02:47is being flooded with counterfeit alcohol.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49You're selling fake wine to the public.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53Jon tends to have quite a good smell for a big seize,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56and we go out for a couple of visits, routine visits,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59and he'll come back with a storage lock-up full of counterfeit goods,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02so we don't like him leaving the office too many times a month
0:03:02 > 0:03:04because the paperwork is quite big.
0:03:04 > 0:03:09The counterfeit trade costs the UK taxpayer
0:03:09 > 0:03:12an estimated £1.2 billion in lost duty.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15But that's nothing. The fakes are made with chemicals
0:03:15 > 0:03:17that can cause vomiting, blindness, even death.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22Council spending cuts mean there's less money to pay for inspectors.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25Counterfeiting is a billion pound, trillion pound industry.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27There's so much money in it,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30you can see why organised criminals are into that more than drugs.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33It's faster, quicker, easier money.
0:03:33 > 0:03:38Blossom Hill and Jacob's Creek are two of Britain's best selling wines.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40They're also a favourite for fraudsters.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44Now, look at these two bottles and see if you can tell which is fake.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46I certainly can't,
0:03:46 > 0:03:50'which is why I'm hitting the road with the experts.'
0:03:50 > 0:03:52So, why is it this place that you've chosen?
0:03:52 > 0:03:56We've had a bit of intelligence that they've got some counterfeit wine,
0:03:56 > 0:04:00so we're going to follow up on that information and see what we find.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02- Well, in you pop.- OK.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05- We'll be following hard behind. - Brilliant.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10My name's Andy, I'm from Trading Standards, Brent Council.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12This is my colleague, Jon.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14We're doing a standard inspection today of your shop.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18What we'll do, we'll have a quick look around.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21The criminals have developed sophisticated printing technology,
0:04:21 > 0:04:25making it difficult for ordinary shoppers to spot a fake.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29We're aware that Jacobs Creek at the moment is being counterfeited,
0:04:29 > 0:04:31and, unfortunately,
0:04:31 > 0:04:35there seems to be some in this shop. I've just picked up this one.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37We've got "Enjoy Jacob's Creek Responsibily" -
0:04:37 > 0:04:39it's got an extra "i".
0:04:39 > 0:04:43The website should be "Drinkaware" - the spelling is "Drinkoware".
0:04:43 > 0:04:48If you're shopping for wine, that's the first thing to look out for.
0:04:48 > 0:04:53The fakes are often made abroad, and labels may have "spilling mistacks".
0:04:53 > 0:04:57I'd take that off the shelf and have no idea whatsoever.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59This is a good example -
0:04:59 > 0:05:02tell me at quick glance which one of these is counterfeit.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04This one, because of the extra "i".
0:05:04 > 0:05:08- Exactly.- That's the only reason I would know, otherwise...
0:05:08 > 0:05:11- The label is slightly embossed too. - Yeah, look at that.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13Oh, yeah! There's another tip then.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15If you suspect your bottle is bogus,
0:05:15 > 0:05:20a wonky, badly printed or creased label could be the giveaway.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22And here are some other ways to spot a fake.
0:05:22 > 0:05:27Compare your bottle to ones that appear identical on the shelf. Check the fill levels.
0:05:27 > 0:05:32If a bottle contains more or less than the others, don't buy it.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35If a bottle is significantly cheaper, take a closer look.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37Lastly, the taste test.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41If, once you've bought it, your wine has an unusual flavour,
0:05:41 > 0:05:45stop drinking it and contact Trading Standards as quick as you like.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49Do you know where you got these bottles?
0:05:49 > 0:05:51I just go to Cash & Carry.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54You're saying you got them from Cash & Carry? Have you got receipts?
0:05:54 > 0:05:55Yes, yes we have.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57You have receipts?
0:05:57 > 0:06:01We keep them all for my accountant to do the VAT.
0:06:01 > 0:06:06It seems as if the shop owner here is really none the wiser
0:06:06 > 0:06:08about where these bottles came from.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11He thinks he got them from the Cash & Carry, all at the same time,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14so the good ones and the hooky ones at the same time.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19'He later tells me the same thing.'
0:06:19 > 0:06:20I don't know, really I don't.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24The first time I heard about this bad wine.
0:06:24 > 0:06:25'But, however it got here,
0:06:25 > 0:06:28'simply having it on the premises spells trouble.'
0:06:28 > 0:06:33I'm 99% certain that that wine didn't come from a Cash & Carry, OK?
0:06:33 > 0:06:36A reputable one that you mentioned earlier,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39I don't think they would have supplied that.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43It's a criminal offence to have this wine in your possession, OK?
0:06:43 > 0:06:45A serious criminal offence, OK?
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Not only is it a copy of the original,
0:06:48 > 0:06:51also we don't know what's in it.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54My general advice is if anyone walks in the shop
0:06:54 > 0:06:57and tries to sell you a similar product,
0:06:57 > 0:06:59- they are the people to avoid.- Yes.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03It's a strong warning, but this is serious stuff.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06While fake booze is making criminals rich,
0:07:06 > 0:07:08it can also make us seriously ill.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10Hooky wine!
0:07:10 > 0:07:14I'll be revealing some of the terrifying ingredients
0:07:14 > 0:07:18in some of Britain's seized counterfeit bottles a little later.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24As well as being able to enter shops,
0:07:24 > 0:07:28the inspectors can go into hotels, take-aways and restaurants.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32It's all part of their aim to prevent us getting food poisoning,
0:07:32 > 0:07:34but how would a typical family kitchen
0:07:34 > 0:07:37stand up to the same professional hygiene checks?
0:07:38 > 0:07:42There are many hidden dangers in the way we prepare and cook our food.
0:07:42 > 0:07:43So, we're going to put it to the test.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47I've been invited round for a good old fashioned family supper
0:07:47 > 0:07:49by single mum Jenny Caminada.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53She knows I'm coming, but she doesn't know I've brought along a friend -
0:07:53 > 0:07:55our very own Food Inspector Ben Milligan.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07'Ben has inspected hundreds of restaurant kitchens,
0:08:07 > 0:08:08'but never a domestic one.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10'Jenny is a busy working mum.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14'I wonder how she'll react to me turning up with a Food Inspector.'
0:08:14 > 0:08:16- Hello!- Hello!- Hello. - Are you Jenny?
0:08:16 > 0:08:20- I am indeed.- I'm Chris, how are you? - I'm fine, nice to meet you.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Come on out. I know you've invited us round for supper...
0:08:23 > 0:08:25- Nice to meet you, I'm Ben.- Yes...
0:08:25 > 0:08:26I've a bit of a surprise for you.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29- OK, right.- He's a Food Inspector.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32I've got a surprise too - I can't cook. No, I'm joking.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38Jenny can cook really - just one of the many things to juggle,
0:08:38 > 0:08:42being a typical super mum, but is she doing it right?
0:08:42 > 0:08:44This is where it's all happening. Welcome to the kitchen.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47You look remarkably calm. You didn't panic when we arrived.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51No, with three children and five cats nothing throws me any more.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Three children and five cats! I want you to stop.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56I don't want you doing any cleaning or anything,
0:08:56 > 0:08:57because I want to make sure...
0:08:57 > 0:08:59That it is as it is.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03- I want to be sure you're feeding your children hygienically...- OK.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05- ..and safely.- Go for it.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08'As Jenny puts her pasta in the oven,
0:09:08 > 0:09:10'Ben gets to work with his hygiene swabs,
0:09:10 > 0:09:12'and he takes samples from everything -
0:09:12 > 0:09:15'including the kitchen sink.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17'It's often one of the dirtiest places in the home.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21'The reason? The seemingly innocent kitchen sponge.'
0:09:21 > 0:09:23Do you want gloves?
0:09:23 > 0:09:24No, no, that's all right.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28'A used sponge can contain hundreds of thousands of bacteria
0:09:28 > 0:09:31'per square inch, including salmonella and E.coli.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35'Its moist "micro-crevices", or holes, are a trap for germs,
0:09:35 > 0:09:37'and are difficult to disinfect.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41'Now, by using Ben's ATP monitor, we're about to find out
0:09:41 > 0:09:44'just how clean Jenny's sink really is.'
0:09:44 > 0:09:45Are you ready?
0:09:45 > 0:09:47I'm ready for it, go on then.
0:09:47 > 0:09:52'A reading above 1,000 could mean a potential risk of food poisoning.'
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Oh! That's 1,547.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59So, if that was a work surface in a proper restaurant,
0:09:59 > 0:10:01what would you be saying?
0:10:01 > 0:10:03There's a lot of ifs and buts,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06but if it was a work surface, even if it was a work surface in here,
0:10:06 > 0:10:08I'd say you're not sanitising it properly.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11How dirty is a kitchen sink?
0:10:11 > 0:10:15There's quite a famous stat that says your sink can be as dirty as your toilet seat.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17I would qualify that though -
0:10:17 > 0:10:20it depends on the sink and the toilet seat!
0:10:20 > 0:10:24'So, you know what's coming next. In the interest of scientific endeavour,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27'I insist on Ben swabbing this toilet,
0:10:27 > 0:10:29'and guess what?
0:10:29 > 0:10:33'It really is cleaner than the kitchen sink!
0:10:33 > 0:10:35'Next on the list, the chopping board.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38'Jenny's well within the hygiene limit, as is her microwave,
0:10:38 > 0:10:43'another common breeding ground for germs.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45'So, that's 2-1 to Jenny -
0:10:45 > 0:10:49'not bad, especially when she has to look after and feed three kids
0:10:49 > 0:10:52'who are all experts at quality control.'
0:10:54 > 0:10:55Looks good. What's it like, Dylan?
0:10:55 > 0:10:57- It's nice.- Yeah?
0:10:57 > 0:10:59Well, my mum doesn't cook a lot,
0:10:59 > 0:11:04but when she does, it's not the best, but it's not the worst either.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07- Dylan, that was very diplomatically put.- Yeah.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09(Is she a messy cook?)
0:11:09 > 0:11:12I've seen the kitchen, I go in there every day.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Right, and is it tidy?
0:11:14 > 0:11:16Tidier than my room.
0:11:18 > 0:11:23'Back in the kitchen, it looks like Mum's good run is about to end.
0:11:23 > 0:11:28'Ben's inspecting the fridge, and it's not the out-of-date food that's giving him nightmares -
0:11:28 > 0:11:32'it's the potential for cross contamination.'
0:11:34 > 0:11:39We've got chicken fillets at the bottom with a tub of hummus in it!
0:11:39 > 0:11:41Right.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45Well, you don't cook hummus, you put it in your sandwiches.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47You touch the pot, then you touch your sandwiches.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51You can't put tubs on top of open, raw packets of meat.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57So, Food Inspector Ben, what did you think?
0:11:57 > 0:12:00First of all, we had a good look at your sink.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02The sponges...
0:12:02 > 0:12:03I know, they're horrible.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07I think I'll have to introduce you to an invention called kitchen roll.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11I hope you're not using your sponges to do your surfaces, are you?
0:12:11 > 0:12:14- I do.- You do? - Yes.- OK, because those sponges...
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Are a breeding ground for bacteria.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19I stick them in the dishwasher every few days.
0:12:19 > 0:12:20- Oh, really?- Yeah.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22We didn't even test the sponge themselves -
0:12:22 > 0:12:25we tested the sink under the sponge. That was bad enough,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28so I shudder to think what the sponge must have been like.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Your stock control is the pits...
0:12:31 > 0:12:33- Yes!- ..to be quite frank,
0:12:33 > 0:12:37- and that lot is condemned - it's in the bin.- Yes.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40- Anything else that needs to go? - The sponges.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42Do you want to get the sponges?
0:12:42 > 0:12:44OK. Bye-bye sponges.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46Yeah. Good riddance.
0:12:46 > 0:12:47See you later.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49There we are. Done.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55Come on, be honest. Does Jenny's kitchen ring any bells with you?
0:12:55 > 0:12:57If so, you need to remember the following...
0:13:13 > 0:13:15DRAMATIC MUSIC
0:13:15 > 0:13:19Food inspectors are like hygiene sheriffs...a bit...
0:13:19 > 0:13:20upholding and enforcing the law.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24But, with so many people flouting it,
0:13:24 > 0:13:28it can sometimes feel like the Wild West. Hence the music.
0:13:28 > 0:13:29Stick with it!
0:13:29 > 0:13:35In Surrey, there's a woman who's seen a fistful of food trouble.
0:13:35 > 0:13:40I've recently had to shut down my local because of cockroaches.
0:13:43 > 0:13:48When I got there, the kitchen had quite a lot of cockroaches in,
0:13:48 > 0:13:49so they shut the kitchen down.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51My mum and dad liked to go in there,
0:13:51 > 0:13:56so they were quite annoyed that I'd shut their local down as well.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01It's not just food cowboys Lisa deals with. Today, it's her Indian.
0:14:01 > 0:14:0424 hours ago, she carried out a routine inspection,
0:14:04 > 0:14:08and made a discovery that's put it in danger of closure, too.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10- Hello.- Hi, are you all right?
0:14:10 > 0:14:14I'm good. I've come to do your revisit today
0:14:14 > 0:14:17because there wasn't any hot water yesterday.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19Yes.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22I show you the number now to whom I have telephoned yesterday.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25He said he's coming on Friday morning...
0:14:25 > 0:14:27- Right.- ..to see whether it is repairable or not.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Oh, dear!
0:14:29 > 0:14:31No hot water till Friday at the earliest.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35What about the customers who want to wash their hands,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37or the staff who must wash theirs?
0:14:37 > 0:14:43They knew there was a problem and they've not fixed it.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46How are you washing your hands at the moment,
0:14:46 > 0:14:48because you've got no hot water?
0:14:48 > 0:14:52We use the hot water in the kettles.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56In the kettles. You don't pour hot water onto your hands, do you?
0:14:56 > 0:14:58They make the hot water there
0:14:58 > 0:15:02and mix up with the cold water with jugs.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06Right. So how do they do all their washing up at the moment?
0:15:06 > 0:15:10- Hot water in there and in there. - So where's the plug for the sink?
0:15:10 > 0:15:12See the plug?
0:15:16 > 0:15:18So they've not been using the system long,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21because they had to root around for the plug.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23No, no, this plug is there.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27Without hot, running water, Lisa's not convinced the staff
0:15:27 > 0:15:31can keep their hands properly clean, but she'll soon find out for sure.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35The results of the swabs she's taken will be back in a week.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39I'd like to put CCTV in there and be able to watch them all the time
0:15:39 > 0:15:43and have a button and say, "Please, please go and wash your hands."
0:15:43 > 0:15:47It's a good idea, but this is not Rogue Traders.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52Lisa will just have to wait for the lab tests to reveal what's really going on here.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00In North London, Trading Standards officers Jon and Andy are showing me
0:16:00 > 0:16:04just how bad London's fake alcohol problem has become.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06What are we looking at here?
0:16:06 > 0:16:10This is about 20 seizures we've done over a couple-of-month period.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14Is this getting worse, what we're seeing here, or is it tailing off?
0:16:14 > 0:16:18It doesn't seem to be dropping off. There's still plenty out there, as we've seen.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21And presumably when we've got a period of economic difficulty,
0:16:21 > 0:16:25people are looking for a bargain, people are looking to make money.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28- This is an attractive way to do it. - Most definitely.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30People are a bit strapped for cash,
0:16:30 > 0:16:32they will look for the cheaper option,
0:16:32 > 0:16:36the counterfeiters know that and will happily oblige by making it.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38Those counterfeiters don't just operate in the capital.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40It seems like they're everywhere.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Trading Standards officers are so concerned by their expansion
0:16:44 > 0:16:49that they've joined forces with police and customs on a nationwide crackdown.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52One of the hotspots is 150 miles from here
0:16:52 > 0:16:56in that direction - Staffordshire.
0:16:57 > 0:17:02It's in this semi-rural county that Trading Standards are launching
0:17:02 > 0:17:05the UK's biggest ever counterfeit alcohol sting.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09Help comes from Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs,
0:17:09 > 0:17:12tip-offs come from the most unusual sources,
0:17:12 > 0:17:14and leadership comes from Brian.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16Good morning, everybody.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21We had some intelligence in Newcastle.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Part of it came from two alcoholics,
0:17:23 > 0:17:27who said that when they drink the cheap vodka from a particular shop,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30it was burning their throat.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34As a result of that, we did a number of warrants on retail premises
0:17:34 > 0:17:37and found various counterfeit products on sale.
0:17:37 > 0:17:42In today's operation, 12 officers will cover 60 square miles,
0:17:42 > 0:17:45pinpointing and seizing fake vodka.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47Even some of those involved can't believe
0:17:47 > 0:17:52this potentially lethal spirit is now so widespread in the sticks.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55To be honest, us in the counties have sat there while, you know,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58some of the more metropolitan areas have had issues
0:17:58 > 0:18:02and we've sat there, I think fair to say slightly smugly, going,
0:18:02 > 0:18:04"Oh, well, it's an urban issue."
0:18:06 > 0:18:08With these illicit spirits, we're so concerned
0:18:08 > 0:18:12about both the prevalence of the spirits on the retail market
0:18:12 > 0:18:17and also the public health issue with people drinking these spirits.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19We've pulled out all the stops on this one.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21With the health of the public in real danger,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23all shops have to be checked
0:18:23 > 0:18:27and the officers have special tools that you and I don't.
0:18:27 > 0:18:32There's many things we can check, but one of them is if the stamp illuminates or not.
0:18:32 > 0:18:33You see, look.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37- It goes like a greeny colour. - Oh, right.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Do you get approached at all?
0:18:39 > 0:18:41- By..? - By white van men, particularly...
0:18:41 > 0:18:42No, never have done, actually.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46- Thanks very much. - That's us done, thank you. Cheers.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50Although this first store is free of fakes, it seems that others aren't.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54Throughout the day, Amanda and her colleagues make a number of seizures.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58I noticed the labels weren't quite on straight,
0:18:58 > 0:19:00so I picked up a bottle and looked at it,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03and I could see bits floating inside and that made me think
0:19:03 > 0:19:05there is something definitely wrong with that product.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Analysis takes place here,
0:19:08 > 0:19:10at Staffordshire Trading Standards' own lab.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13By breaking down the alcohol,
0:19:13 > 0:19:17officers can identify bi-products of the distillation process.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21The results from these seized bottles confirm their suspicions.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23The vodka is fake and dangerous.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28The major consideration was that some of the samples
0:19:28 > 0:19:29have got methanol in it.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32Methanol is an industrial chemical
0:19:32 > 0:19:34traditionally used to make antifreeze.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38It can cause damage to organs, to the optic nerves,
0:19:38 > 0:19:40it can even kill you.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43- How much methanol did you find in that?- About half a teaspoonful.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46And how much methanol does it take to make you blind?
0:19:46 > 0:19:48- Two.- Two teaspoonfuls.
0:19:48 > 0:19:53So the amount of methanol it takes to damage you is very small.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57And if you were drinking this on a constant basis,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00day in, day out, the effect adds up.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Methanol's not the only nasty thing you can find?
0:20:03 > 0:20:08What we found in this particular product is chloroform.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12Chloroform - because I only know that from James Bond.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14Knock-out drops, effectively.
0:20:14 > 0:20:19The issue with chloroform is it is not allowed in food at all.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22This has been made with industrial chemicals,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25not food-graded chemicals.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28It's just possibly a by-product or whatever of the process
0:20:28 > 0:20:31that chloroform has ended up in the finished product.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34Do you think we're on the brink of a disaster here?
0:20:34 > 0:20:36Because you've got dangerous drinks
0:20:36 > 0:20:39and they seem to be widely available!
0:20:39 > 0:20:42The people who can stop this are the retailers.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45They need to say no to White Van Man.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48They need to say "No, we don't want any more off you."
0:20:48 > 0:20:52But as we'll see later, White Van Man is doing a roaring trade
0:20:52 > 0:20:55with this fake and potentially harmful product,
0:20:55 > 0:20:57and the chance of you buying it and drinking it
0:20:57 > 0:21:00is increasing all the time.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07Well, dodgy alcohol may be making news now,
0:21:07 > 0:21:10but some food and drink scares have been with us for years.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13Usually they involve a single bad ingredient,
0:21:13 > 0:21:15and often it's this one...
0:21:20 > 0:21:22This is Escherichia Coli -
0:21:22 > 0:21:25or E.coli, as he's known to his mates.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28Now, this one is always in the headlines.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Let's have a look under the microscope.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35As you can see, it looks like a rod-shaped group of bacteria.
0:21:35 > 0:21:41This is a highly infectious bacteria and can be really dangerous.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43So where does E.coli come from?
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Well, it's found in the intestines of humans and animals
0:21:46 > 0:21:49and of course, you can find that in their faeces,
0:21:49 > 0:21:52which can contaminate water supplies, it can contaminate soil.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54Last summer in the UK,
0:21:54 > 0:21:5674 people were hospitalised
0:21:56 > 0:22:00when they ate leeks and potatoes from contaminated soil.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03It only takes a few cells to make you ill
0:22:03 > 0:22:05and the symptoms are...
0:22:08 > 0:22:11..and this can happen after three or four days
0:22:11 > 0:22:14and it can last up to two weeks.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Now, the real danger of E.coli is that it can cause
0:22:17 > 0:22:19serious life-threatening infections
0:22:19 > 0:22:22to the more vulnerable members of society.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26So how do we avoid E.coli? Well, it's all about hygiene.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47You don't need to teach Lisa Wareham about E.coli.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Food inspectors know everything about it already.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53In fact, Lisa has a thing about this particular bug -
0:22:53 > 0:22:56and a way with words.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00In the industry, we call it "from turd to tongue",
0:23:00 > 0:23:06because, obviously, you know, the bacteria comes from your faeces
0:23:06 > 0:23:08and then, you know, through poor hygiene,
0:23:08 > 0:23:13it then gets spread on to your food until it reaches your tongue.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Lovely(!) Now, remember India Finest,
0:23:16 > 0:23:20the restaurant in Redhill where the hot water was off?
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Lisa took some hygiene swabs, sent them for analysis
0:23:23 > 0:23:27and the results are now in - and guess which bug has shown up?
0:23:27 > 0:23:28I've come back today because,
0:23:28 > 0:23:31you know the samples that I'd taken the other day?
0:23:31 > 0:23:34- Yes.- They failed - quite badly, really.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38They had E.coli on them. Probably came down to poor hand-washing.
0:23:39 > 0:23:44In the kitchen, the manager has had the boiler fixed - sort of.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47Their water's gone cold.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52If hands aren't being washed thoroughly,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55E.coli could be being spread across the kitchen.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Using her environmental monitor, Lisa tests
0:23:58 > 0:24:01the surfaces that are being touched frequently.
0:24:01 > 0:24:06So hand-contact points should really be round about 30.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11That's quite high, really, for a hand-contact point,
0:24:11 > 0:24:16because obviously you're touching that then you're preparing salad,
0:24:16 > 0:24:18and that's how you can transfer
0:24:18 > 0:24:22some of the bacteria from one area to another.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25Despite Lisa's demonstration, the manager is confident
0:24:25 > 0:24:28that no bacteria can survive the restaurant's cooking process.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32You have to be cautious about E.coli but one thing I should say -
0:24:32 > 0:24:36a lot of people died of eating English food because of E.coli.
0:24:36 > 0:24:42No Indian has died with E.coli. We cook to very high temperatures.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45OK, then - what about food that stays cold?
0:24:45 > 0:24:52So with the yogurt, do you use this once every week? Because on here...
0:24:52 > 0:24:53He comes every Wednesday.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57Because it says, "Once opened, consume within three days",
0:24:57 > 0:25:00so once you've opened that, you should really...
0:25:00 > 0:25:03It alters. One week, it's finished and then...
0:25:03 > 0:25:06According to the manufacturer's instructions,
0:25:06 > 0:25:08you have to use it within three days.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12You've got separation going on in there, and you can see there's some contamination.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15It go off automatically. You don't have to...
0:25:15 > 0:25:18- Yeah, but you can't see... - You can.- ...some bacteria.
0:25:18 > 0:25:19Oh, no, bacteria you can't see,
0:25:19 > 0:25:23but you can see when it's gone off, it's swollen.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26You couldn't see that that other one had E.coli in.
0:25:26 > 0:25:31It's a tough call for Lisa. The E.coli count isn't high enough
0:25:31 > 0:25:34to justify her taking action against the restaurant.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38Instead, she leaves them with some cleaning recommendations
0:25:38 > 0:25:42and decides to return in one month to gather more hygiene samples -
0:25:42 > 0:25:43anonymously.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46As for the manager, he seems satisfied
0:25:46 > 0:25:48with things the way they are.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51I think I'm the cleanest restaurant in the whole of the area.
0:25:51 > 0:25:56I can guarantee it. The health people may not - but I can.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04Back in north London, the team cracking down on fake alcohol
0:26:04 > 0:26:08are on another operation - but this time, with a secret weapon.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12You might be wondering why Andy, Jon and myself
0:26:12 > 0:26:14are just sitting in a van right now.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18It's because the guys have deployed Undercover Ali.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Ali's our secret undercover chap who we send in ahead of us
0:26:22 > 0:26:25just to have a look around and reconnoitre.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29He's expert in spotting trademark-infringing items.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32So the point being that you guys eventually get recognised.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35We've had jobs where we'll come in the front door
0:26:35 > 0:26:37and you can hear stuff getting moved around in the back.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40We are recognised, unfortunately.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43So Undercover Ali. I mean, we will never get to meet him.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46- Nope.- I mean, we will, but you won't. That's the point.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Which is a shame, because he's a nice guy.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53'Based on Undercover Ali's intel, we're heading to a store in Kilburn.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56'I now have the knowledge needed to spot a fake
0:26:56 > 0:26:58'and I'm determined to use it.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01'Jon and Andy start on the wine.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03'Me? I'm going for the harder stuff.'
0:27:03 > 0:27:06I think I've discovered a bottle of hooky Smirnoff,
0:27:06 > 0:27:10because this is Smirnoff Registered Trademark -
0:27:10 > 0:27:17"Preminim" vodka and it contains only a trace of "kabohydrate".
0:27:17 > 0:27:20There could be absolutely anything in there, anything.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Literally, every time you buy a bottle of spirits
0:27:23 > 0:27:27or a bottle of alcohol, check every word for the spelling,
0:27:27 > 0:27:32then you might have an idea. Otherwise, no chance.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37Jon and Andy's department sees nearly 1,000 bottles
0:27:37 > 0:27:39of counterfeit alcohol over a 12-month period.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43During the crackdown across central England,
0:27:43 > 0:27:47more than 3,000 bottles were seized from about 700 premises.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50So far, no arrests have been made for manufacturing or distribution
0:27:50 > 0:27:54and nobody knows how many bottles remain on our shelves.
0:27:54 > 0:27:55So keep them peeled.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59Certainly made me think twice about having a curry and a bottle of wine.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05Join us next week as we reveal more of those food dangers
0:28:05 > 0:28:09- and how to avoid them. See you then.- Bye.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11- What do you mean?- No, well...
0:28:12 > 0:28:14Next time, I'll be down on the farm
0:28:14 > 0:28:18with the animal health team, checking the cows.
0:28:18 > 0:28:19Another mystery cow.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23And I'll be taking a surprise guest to check out the food
0:28:23 > 0:28:26at a Hollywood party in High Wycombe.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30- Alarm bells starting to ring?- Some little ones in the background.- OK.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd