0:00:02 > 0:00:05There are nearly 600,000 food outlets in the UK -
0:00:05 > 0:00:07pubs, restaurants, takeaways
0:00:07 > 0:00:09and they all have to be inspected
0:00:09 > 0:00:12to make sure that the food we eat is safe.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Yes, there's an army of men and women up and down the country
0:00:15 > 0:00:18on the frontline whose job it is to protect us,
0:00:18 > 0:00:21the hungry public, from dangerous dinners. Who are these people?
0:00:21 > 0:00:23They're the food inspectors.
0:00:28 > 0:00:29Over the next few weeks,
0:00:29 > 0:00:31we'll be out on the road with the food inspectors.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33You need to get your act together.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37We'll discover the restaurants where no-one seems to have a Danny La Rue.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40You can't have a rabbit where you are preparing food.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43You need to take the rabbit out now. Take the rabbit out now.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47And we discover the visitors that no restaurant ever wants to meet.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51We have so many live cockroaches, yeah, in the preparation area.
0:00:51 > 0:00:52What are you playing at?!
0:00:52 > 0:00:55I'll be revealing the truth about the hidden world of food crime
0:00:55 > 0:00:57that puts YOU in danger.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59I mean, what he is describing there is smuggling.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01It's a timebomb waiting to go off.
0:01:01 > 0:01:06And I'll be finding out how some of our biggest food manufacturers keep us safe.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09This doesn't look like a kitchen, this looks like a science lab.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25This week, animal rustling.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Inspectors try to track down the stolen meat
0:01:28 > 0:01:30heading towards your plate.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33This probably would indicate some kind of illegal slaughter.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35Enough bones for 60 pigs.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38Claire and Mary are on the hunt in North London
0:01:38 > 0:01:41and they make a grisly discovery.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44- Is that just leaves?- I'm not sure.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47It doesn't look very healthy whatever it is.
0:01:47 > 0:01:48Andreas discovers a butchers
0:01:48 > 0:01:51where it may be time for the ultimate sanction.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55There's no option but to close you today.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Do you know how to stop the great British fry-up
0:01:58 > 0:02:00turning into a great big emergency?
0:02:00 > 0:02:02I put the fire brigade to the test.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05- That's filth, that's off the scale. - Yes!
0:02:05 > 0:02:10And I meet a man whose pork chop was nearly his last.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12I didn't think we would ever see Darren alive again.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14They think I'm going to die.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Now food inspectors, on the whole, like order.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22They want things in their place and they're quite particular
0:02:22 > 0:02:26about what is supposed to be found in a kitchen.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30Generally speaking, it's items connected with food preparation,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33but every so often they'll make a discovery which would bring out
0:02:33 > 0:02:37even the most experienced inspector in a cold sweat.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42Welcome to the mean streets of... Enfield, North London.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44It's a dirty world out there,
0:02:44 > 0:02:47but there are two women who are fighting back.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50Claire and Mary are Enfield's grime fighters.
0:02:50 > 0:02:51See what I did there?!
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Tonight there's a job going down -
0:02:53 > 0:02:56the Sun & Moon, the local Chinese takeaway.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02This is the first visit for the takeaway's new owners.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04In the past, the food inspectors have found problems
0:03:04 > 0:03:07and Mary is quick to spot some today.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11Why is the rice sitting out on the side? Why is it outside?
0:03:11 > 0:03:14- Why isn't it in the fridge?- Just...
0:03:14 > 0:03:20How long after you've cooked it before you put it in the fridge?
0:03:22 > 0:03:24Two to three hours? Right, that's not safe.
0:03:24 > 0:03:30If cooked rice is left outside of a fridge for too long, toxins can form.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32They can cause stomach pains, diarrhoea and sickness.
0:03:32 > 0:03:37I think you should just put it in the bin. Yeah, just bin it, please.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41The problem we've got with the chicken balls is
0:03:41 > 0:03:44the box previously had raw duck in...
0:03:46 > 0:03:49So there's a severe risk of cross contamination
0:03:49 > 0:03:53between the cooked chicken balls
0:03:53 > 0:03:56and what was previously in the box.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02So far, it's just another normal day on the streets for our team,
0:04:02 > 0:04:06but things are about to get very strange.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Er, Claire, I've seen a rabbit.
0:04:09 > 0:04:14- A rabbit?- I don't believe this! I've just seen a rabbit!- Is it alive?
0:04:14 > 0:04:15I'm going...
0:04:19 > 0:04:21In that... There's a rabbit.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24CLAIRE LAUGHS
0:04:24 > 0:04:27The rabbit is thankfully not destined for the pot.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29It belongs to the owner's daughter.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33You can't have a rabbit where you are preparing food.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36It's not acceptable. You need to take the rabbit out now.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Take the rabbit out now. I've never seen that before.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43Never, ever, in my 19 years of doing this.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45Claire, ever the eagle-eyed inspector,
0:04:45 > 0:04:49then spots sticky pads on the floor, designed to catch rats and mice.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Have you had a problem with mice in here? Do you know you have a problem with mice?
0:04:56 > 0:04:59No, that's not what that's for. That's a rat glue trap.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01That's for rats and mice. That's why you put that down there.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05Not for spiders.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Claire has heard every excuse before
0:05:07 > 0:05:10and she decides it's time for a closer look.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22We've got droppings on this one.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Yeah, there's a few mouse droppings down the back of here.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Well, that means they came in last night.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33If you cleaned last night, well, they've come in sometime today,
0:05:33 > 0:05:35which is why you shouldn't keep your back door open,
0:05:35 > 0:05:37cos obviously they can just walk in.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40Oh!
0:05:41 > 0:05:42No.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44The back of the preparation area
0:05:44 > 0:05:46is awash with droppings and mice urine.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49Droppings throughout the area in here as well.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52This is now a serious grime scene,
0:05:52 > 0:05:55so senior inspector Claire needs to file a report.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57I need some evidence of droppings in here...
0:05:59 > 0:06:02- Open food.- So basically just...
0:06:02 > 0:06:03Do some photographs.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05Photographs of everything. OK.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10I'm very concerned at the moment
0:06:10 > 0:06:14because what I've found here today is an infestation of...mice.
0:06:14 > 0:06:19There's mouse droppings throughout here where you're preparing food.
0:06:19 > 0:06:20You've got lots of open food out.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22Obviously, mice, they're good climbers
0:06:22 > 0:06:24and they will run over all the surfaces here.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26They dribble urine...
0:06:26 > 0:06:28I'm really concerned about what's happening here.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Claire might be concerned now, but we'll be back later
0:06:31 > 0:06:35when things go from bad to worse with a shocking discovery.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38- Is that just leaves?- I'm not sure.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42It doesn't look very healthy whatever it is.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54Food inspectors generally investigate shops and restaurants
0:06:54 > 0:06:57who prepare or cook food,
0:06:57 > 0:07:01but they can also find themselves at the sharper end of the food chain.
0:07:01 > 0:07:06Food business is big business and it can attract people who cut corners.
0:07:06 > 0:07:11Every week, I'll be investigating a food crime that is not only
0:07:11 > 0:07:14an illegal act, but which can put you and your family
0:07:14 > 0:07:19and anyone who eats these foods at serious risk of illness.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25We have some of the strictest laws in the world
0:07:25 > 0:07:27controlling the movement of livestock and meat.
0:07:27 > 0:07:28Every joint, chop,
0:07:28 > 0:07:32even pack of mince that we buy is traceable back to its farm.
0:07:32 > 0:07:33But what would happen
0:07:33 > 0:07:36if someone came along and helped themselves to a sheep or ten
0:07:36 > 0:07:40and then slaughtered them outside of the laws designed to keep us safe?
0:07:41 > 0:07:43"It doesn't affect me," I hear you say.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47Well, OK, what would happen if THIS stolen meat ended up on your plate?
0:07:52 > 0:07:55The price of meat, like most foods, is on the up,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58but that doesn't just mean a little bit less pork on your chop.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02It's also resulting in a countryside crimewave that might sound like
0:08:02 > 0:08:06something out of the 18th century, but which is bang up to date.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12In 21st-century Britain, animal rustling is booming.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Pigs, sheep, even cows are being stolen, loaded into lorries
0:08:15 > 0:08:17and driven away.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20If this ends up in the food chain, any of us could be eating
0:08:20 > 0:08:24illegal, unsafe, stolen meat without even knowing it,
0:08:24 > 0:08:27but our food inspectors are on the trail.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31Like all good crime thrillers, this one begins...
0:08:31 > 0:08:34with the discovery of bones.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36Good morning, Trading Standards.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40This is Dorset's Trading Standards office
0:08:40 > 0:08:42and Karen Wood is a senior officer.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44It's her job to make sure businesses in the county
0:08:44 > 0:08:46operate within the law.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50What's the actual location of these?
0:08:51 > 0:08:52Yep, I know the area, yes.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57A member of the public has made a grisly discovery.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02Some bones in bags have been found in a field down in Chadwick.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06A phone call has led Karen to a field just off the main road.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10I can actually see some black plastic up here. Just in this.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Stinging nettles.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16What Karen's found is a secret hiding place
0:09:16 > 0:09:19of leftovers from an illegal animal slaughter.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22And I've just pulled out these bones
0:09:22 > 0:09:25and counted enough bones for six pigs.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28And that's just in one bag, there are ten bags here.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31We're looking at about 60 pigs.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34The value of this much pork from these carcasses
0:09:34 > 0:09:37amounts to around £18,000,
0:09:37 > 0:09:39making it a very profitable crime.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44A few years ago, cases like this were unheard-of,
0:09:44 > 0:09:46but as economic times have got tougher,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49more and more crimes like this are being reported.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52In Dorset alone, there have been eight in the last year.
0:09:52 > 0:09:57We're not talking about just, you know, the odd animal stolen,
0:09:57 > 0:10:01we're talking about a fairly industrial scale that's taking place.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03Yes, it's a large number of animals to be found.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06From what you are saying, it's too much here for personal use,
0:10:06 > 0:10:08for somebody to be feeding their family.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12Supermarkets and butchers - they're too legit, too wise,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15and that really only leaves the restaurant trade.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Yeah, supermarkets are obviously very well regulated,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21how they get rid of their waste and the abattoirs.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24The butchers, obviously, are well regulated by environmental health,
0:10:24 > 0:10:26how much waste is coming out.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29So we're thinking unmarked van round the back of the restaurant.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31That's where this deal was taking place?
0:10:31 > 0:10:33We think that's a possibility, yes.
0:10:33 > 0:10:38And this is a crime that's working its way across the country.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40I've come to Cumbria where a few months ago
0:10:40 > 0:10:43sheep farmer Andrew Balmer was one of its latest victims.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49So, on that day then, how many did you discover, how many lambs,
0:10:49 > 0:10:51how many ewes had gone missing?
0:10:51 > 0:10:53We rounded everything up into our sheep pens,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55down at the lower end.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59We counted every lamb and every ewe and we were 18 ewes missing
0:10:59 > 0:11:02- and 38 lambs.- That's quite a lot of sheep to lose in one day.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04Well, it's a very large trailer load.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06And whoever's stealing this livestock
0:11:06 > 0:11:08is not only putting Andrew's livelihood in danger,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11they're also threatening our health.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15The sheep that come out of here, what's wrong with them
0:11:15 > 0:11:18making it to our plate if that's our primary concern?
0:11:18 > 0:11:22Well, they've no idea as to when these lambs have been last dosed
0:11:22 > 0:11:27and if they are going into the consumer, you know, it's wrong.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30So when you're giving the lamb medication, medicine of some sort,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33there's a period during which you wouldn't be able to sell that.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36- No.- If they're stolen from the fields then nobody knows
0:11:36 > 0:11:39whether they've still got that chemical in their bloodstream.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41That's definitely correct, yeah. Nobody would know that.
0:11:41 > 0:11:46So, eating stolen lamb means you could be ingesting drugs
0:11:46 > 0:11:50designed to kill ticks, liver fluke and other kinds of animal nasties.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54These animal medicines hang around in the sheep's system for weeks.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56They're not fit for human consumption.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59The question is - who's behind this crimewave?
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Is it townie criminals trying to make a quick buck?
0:12:02 > 0:12:06Or someone from the countryside with experience of handling livestock?
0:12:07 > 0:12:10I mean, I'm just wondering, if I came into this field
0:12:10 > 0:12:14looking to take one of these sheep away with me...
0:12:15 > 0:12:16..is it an easy thing to do?
0:12:16 > 0:12:19No, it's not a really easy thing to do.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21You could have a go.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24It's a totally unscientific experiment.
0:12:24 > 0:12:25I'm going to pit my urban wits
0:12:25 > 0:12:28against those of a grey-faced mule sheep.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30It's townie versus animal!
0:12:39 > 0:12:42Didn't even get as much as a handful of wool.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47They may be stupid, sheep, but they're not idiots.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49They are quicker than me.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51Whoever's stealing sheep,
0:12:51 > 0:12:54especially in numbers, knows what they're doing.
0:12:58 > 0:12:59And they certainly do.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02The police have got another call from a farmer some 50 miles away,
0:13:02 > 0:13:05reporting a very similar theft.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09Anne and husband Alan, who's been in and out of hospital recently,
0:13:09 > 0:13:13have discovered 36 of their prized cattle are missing.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16It's not the first time it's happened, unfortunately.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20I think this is either the third or the fourth it's happened.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23It's a nightmare. Money's tight.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25And it's easy, easy game...
0:13:27 > 0:13:29..to go and get them out of the field
0:13:29 > 0:13:34because if anybody drew up with a trailer, who would query it?
0:13:34 > 0:13:37And what effect could this have on your livelihood
0:13:37 > 0:13:39and the future for this farm?
0:13:39 > 0:13:41Well, money will be very tight.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45- The overdraft will go bigger. - How much are we talking about?
0:13:45 > 0:13:49- You're talking an average of £400 an animal.- So it's well over £10,000?
0:13:49 > 0:13:51Well, it will be, yeah.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Anne knows that anyone stealing this number of cattle
0:13:54 > 0:13:56must be highly organised.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59They have got to have an outlet for them.
0:13:59 > 0:14:04They need a passport to sell them on. They can't do it otherwise.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Every cow in Britain has paperwork.
0:14:07 > 0:14:08It's called a passport
0:14:08 > 0:14:11and each time they're bought or sold,
0:14:11 > 0:14:13the passport goes with the animal.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17Without this, no official abattoir or butcher will touch them.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21How do you feel then, that somebody can see
0:14:21 > 0:14:24when your husband's ill, that's the way it appears,
0:14:24 > 0:14:28and is waiting for those moments to then steal your cattle?
0:14:28 > 0:14:31If I'd have heard them, I would have shot them.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36It's almost as though, over the last few years,
0:14:36 > 0:14:40somebody's worked out that there are wallets on legs,
0:14:40 > 0:14:42roaming around the countryside
0:14:42 > 0:14:46that can be taken with a bit of effort and turned into cash.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50Where they go after that is less clear...
0:14:50 > 0:14:54Their route to your plate does mean, though,
0:14:54 > 0:14:59they're not always entirely going to be safe, and it also means
0:14:59 > 0:15:04the whole process is guaranteeing misery for farmers like Anne.
0:15:04 > 0:15:05Coming up...
0:15:05 > 0:15:09I visit a legal abattoir to find out what they do there
0:15:09 > 0:15:11to keep carnivores like me safe. Eugh!
0:15:11 > 0:15:16In some circumstances, the whole of the carcass would be forbidden from going into the food chain.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19From the right way to the wrong way. Meat as you never want to see it.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23There was a huge forequarter of meat just hanging there on a chain.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26There's no protection from insects or bacteria.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29That meat cannot be sold to members of the public.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Back in Enfield, Claire and Mary are at the Sun & Moon restaurant.
0:15:40 > 0:15:45- The inspection started badly.- Why is the rice sitting out on the side?
0:15:45 > 0:15:49- Why isn't it in the fridge? - And then got steadily worse.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51There's a few mouse droppings down the back of here.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56Well, that means they came in last night.
0:15:56 > 0:16:01- And then it turned downright bizarre. - I don't believe this!
0:16:01 > 0:16:03I've just seen a rabbit!
0:16:03 > 0:16:05But before Mary and Claire finish,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08there's a storage shed outside they still have to inspect.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17Mary has spotted something stuck to one of the mouse pads.
0:16:20 > 0:16:25- What's that on there? Is that just leaves?- I'm not sure.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27It doesn't look very healthy whatever it is.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Oh, let's have a quick look.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39I don't know what it is.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43Em... From the droppings it looks like...
0:16:43 > 0:16:45A mouse. There's feet here.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47Ooh, right, OK.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50The discovery of the decaying rodent along with all the other problems
0:16:50 > 0:16:53leaves Claire with only one option.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56I feel that there is an imminent risk to health here
0:16:56 > 0:16:58because you haven't got proper cleaning equipment,
0:16:58 > 0:17:02you haven't got proper cleaning chemicals here and because of the knowledge that I've seen
0:17:02 > 0:17:04and the active infestation of mice here,
0:17:04 > 0:17:09I'm not happy with you to carry on trading and I will ask you to close.
0:17:09 > 0:17:14So if you could just turn the lights off, put the sign to "closed"
0:17:14 > 0:17:16and don't take any more orders.
0:17:16 > 0:17:21Claire and Mary have given the owners a list of jobs that must be completed
0:17:21 > 0:17:23before the restaurant can reopen.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26Until then, it must remain closed.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31It could put them out of business,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34that's something that we do know and also, the lady tonight,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37she's saying if we close her for a long period of time -
0:17:37 > 0:17:40and she's got three children - it affects her livelihood,
0:17:40 > 0:17:44so it is with mixed feelings that we do this. But, at the same time,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46you know, we have to look at the bigger picture
0:17:46 > 0:17:48which is public health risk.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51It's the end of a long night for Claire and Mary.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53They plan to return to the takeaway later in the week
0:17:53 > 0:17:57to assess progress of the work they've asked to be done.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09Now, here's a frightening thought for you - 40% of all food poisoning
0:18:09 > 0:18:12happens when we're cooking for family and friends at home.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16So the question I've got for you is - are you a potential poisoner?
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Well, each week I'll be visiting a home or a workplace near you
0:18:19 > 0:18:23and to make sure no-one ends up with a dicky tummy, I'll be bringing
0:18:23 > 0:18:27an unexpected guest - our very own food inspector Ben Milligan.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35Today it's the great British fry-up.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Every year, we eat nearly three billion sausages,
0:18:38 > 0:18:42seven billion rashers of bacon and 11 billion eggs,
0:18:42 > 0:18:45but do you know the risks and how to avoid them?
0:18:46 > 0:18:50Today, I am in Lincolnshire to pay a visit to the fire and rescue team.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53These boys and girls are on duty seven days a week,
0:18:53 > 0:18:57365 days a year and it is a hungry job.
0:18:57 > 0:19:02And did you know that the favourite food for a firefighter is a fry-up?
0:19:03 > 0:19:05Morning, Green Watch.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07I know you guys do an incredible job
0:19:07 > 0:19:10keeping us safe from all types of danger every single day.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Well, today we are going to return that favour.
0:19:13 > 0:19:18We are going to make sure that you eat safely in this station.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21We're going to give you a food inspection
0:19:21 > 0:19:23and I've got a little surprise for you...
0:19:25 > 0:19:29- Morning, all! - This is Ben, our food inspector.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32Just like you, he takes his job very, very seriously.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35Now this is a normal day for you,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38so we're going to start it with an emergency drill.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40ALARM BLARES
0:19:40 > 0:19:41So away you go.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49SIREN BLARES
0:19:49 > 0:19:51While Green Watch carry out exercises,
0:19:51 > 0:19:55firefighter Dave is going to rustle up their favourite breakfast -
0:19:55 > 0:19:56the full English.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00It's the Full Monty, so it's got bacon, sausage, eggs,
0:20:00 > 0:20:02hash browns, onion rings in there.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06Er, bread, tomatoes, beans. Yeah, the works.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12'Lovely. Even though Dave's been Green Watch's cook for the past seven years,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15'a fried breakfast has plenty of food safety pitfalls
0:20:15 > 0:20:18'lurking inside every sausage and egg.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21'Which is why Ben and I are here with our top tips
0:20:21 > 0:20:25'to keep the breakfast bacteria at bay.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28'First up, chef hygiene.'
0:20:28 > 0:20:32If you've handled raw meat, you should then wash your hands.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35You shouldn't go all around kitchen, touching all the other things.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42Remove all traces of soil from any raw food.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44What should I be fearing as I'm making mushrooms?
0:20:44 > 0:20:47You should be fearing soil-borne bacteria.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49So the best thing to do is cut that piece off
0:20:49 > 0:20:51and then give them a little rinse.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Beware of raw egg splashes.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59It will be cooked to make it safe,
0:20:59 > 0:21:02but whilst it's raw, you've got to be careful where it's going.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04If you don't wash your hands properly,
0:21:04 > 0:21:06if you splash it about the kitchen,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09there is the potential that you can spread contamination around.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11These eggs are inoculated against salmonella.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14There are still risks with Campylobacter.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18Even sealed tins can be a source of contamination.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21You never know where the can's been stored.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24It could have been in a cash and carry with mice or anything
0:21:24 > 0:21:27and they could be mouse urine over the top of the can.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29Would you wash a can before you opened it?
0:21:29 > 0:21:31I'd wash the top of the can before I opened it.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33- Have you ever done that? - No, never done that.- No, nor have I.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37And raw sausages are a major cause of food poisoning,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40so make sure they're cooked through.
0:21:40 > 0:21:46Let's have a look. Looking for, in the middle, above 70 degrees.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48Which it is.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50They're cooked. So there you go, experienced chef.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53- He knows, she knows.- I know.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57'Food poisoning doesn't just come from our food.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00'Our kitchens can harbour all sorts of hidden bugs
0:22:00 > 0:22:02'and Ben knows just how to find them.'
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Right, who is without tomatoes?
0:22:06 > 0:22:07That would be me.
0:22:07 > 0:22:12So, while Green Watch tuck in, Ben gets stuck in.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16Will our firefighters be quite so pleased with his results?
0:22:16 > 0:22:19- You had a good look round, didn't you?- I did.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21- What did you think?- It's tidy.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23But it's filthy!
0:22:23 > 0:22:25LAUGHTER
0:22:25 > 0:22:28When you say, "Filthy," how filthy?
0:22:28 > 0:22:30- Cos you've got special gadgets, haven't you?- I do.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32I've got a little special gadget here
0:22:32 > 0:22:35which shows you how much organic matter is on your surfaces,
0:22:35 > 0:22:37on handles, that sort of thing.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40What that means is how much plant, animal or bacteria,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43bacterial matter is on there. Um...
0:22:43 > 0:22:45Dirtiest part of the kitchen?
0:22:45 > 0:22:49Dirtiest part of the kitchen, by a small margin, is over here.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52- Get back. Get back! - So this is the area.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54You can see there's little spots and stains.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56- This is where all the tea's made. - Yeah.
0:22:56 > 0:23:01What I would expect from a surface is between 500 to 1,000.
0:23:01 > 0:23:06- That's the reading?- Yes. That's... Above 1,000 would be a fail.- Right.
0:23:06 > 0:23:12- So any ideas what you got? - 1001?- 1001?
0:23:12 > 0:23:14- 1,000.- How many?
0:23:14 > 0:23:1613,000.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19That's filth. That's off the scale.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Now, this might be high,
0:23:21 > 0:23:25but the truth is Ben finds these levels in most of our inspections.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29We all find it hard to clean up the nasties we can't see.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33And, in this kitchen, like so many, there's an obvious culprit.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36This is sort of a perfect breeding ground for bacteria?
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Yeah, exactly - it's moist, it's nice and warm in here.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41They'll just be breeding like crazy in there.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43You've got blue kitchen wipes there -
0:23:43 > 0:23:46just wipe off, throw it in the bin. Any bacteria goes in the bin.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51The boys from Green Watch told us they are really hot, of course,
0:23:51 > 0:23:53on fire safety in the kitchen.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Now, after our visit,
0:23:55 > 0:23:59they say they will take food safety just as seriously.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03So remember - even your favourite meal can contain hidden dangers
0:24:03 > 0:24:05and, in your kitchen, if you can't see dirt,
0:24:05 > 0:24:08that doesn't mean bacteria aren't there.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12The best advice is to clean and then sanitise work services.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16A damp dish cloth can spread more bacteria than it cleans -
0:24:16 > 0:24:18use disposable paper towels.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24Oops!
0:24:24 > 0:24:27Imagine you are new to the whole food business.
0:24:27 > 0:24:32Would you have any idea about the myriad of food regulations out there?
0:24:32 > 0:24:34Food inspectors don't just turn up unannounced.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36You can ask them in for help,
0:24:36 > 0:24:39as the dos and don'ts of food safety can be pretty daunting.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44David Norton is the food inspector the Central Bedfordshire.
0:24:44 > 0:24:45He visits his fair share
0:24:45 > 0:24:47of restaurants and takeaways with problems,
0:24:47 > 0:24:50but today he's on his way to help a new business -
0:24:50 > 0:24:53a cafe at a garden centre. Ooh, lovely!
0:24:53 > 0:24:57When I visited for an advisory visit earlier in the year,
0:24:57 > 0:25:01there were just doing sort of tea, cakes, scones, that sort of thing.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05But the aspiration, I think, was for them to develop into full meals.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08From the start, the owners have been keen to get David in
0:25:08 > 0:25:10to help them set up the business.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12It was just really nice, because they...
0:25:12 > 0:25:14they phoned us right at the outset and said,
0:25:14 > 0:25:18"When can you come and do an advisory inspection?"
0:25:18 > 0:25:21Andrew Asprey used to be an investment banker in London.
0:25:21 > 0:25:2318 months ago, he realised a dream
0:25:23 > 0:25:27and set up his own small business with a cafe attached.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30For David, he's keen to check that all areas of health and safety
0:25:30 > 0:25:31are up to scratch.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37You've got your hot connected in, haven't you, to something?
0:25:37 > 0:25:42- But what's it...?- No, nothing. - So, no, that still outstanding.- Yeah.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48How do we know at the moment that the fridge is running at the right temperature?
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Um...we don't.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56Obviously, we've got some mould growth, haven't we?
0:25:56 > 0:25:59Now it's time to get down to the real business, which is food.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02As a cafe, selling tea, cake, sandwich,
0:26:02 > 0:26:05it would appear there's not much to worry about,
0:26:05 > 0:26:07but David has other ideas.
0:26:07 > 0:26:12There's not really, that I can see, any red meat that you're handling.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17But what we do have is the potatoes.
0:26:17 > 0:26:23And the potatoes are a possible source of the E. coli contamination.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25Potatoes?! Are you sure?!
0:26:25 > 0:26:30Apparently, yes, E. coli 0157 is found primarily in animals' guts,
0:26:30 > 0:26:32which means it's also found in their poo.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34The very same poo farmers and gardeners
0:26:34 > 0:26:37then spread on their veg as manure.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41The problem occurs when that fertilised soil gets inside you.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45We've not, historically, talked about carrots as a risk food.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48But they are a soil vegetable, so just like the potatoes,
0:26:48 > 0:26:50they're grown in the soil, obviously.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53So what we're looking for with this...
0:26:53 > 0:26:56I mean, overall, your organisation's not too bad.
0:26:56 > 0:27:01But making sure that the carrots are stored elsewhere,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04away from your salad vegetables.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06One of the most popular dishes on Andrew's menu
0:27:06 > 0:27:08is his home-made coleslaw,
0:27:08 > 0:27:10made with, you guessed it, raw carrots.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13But David thinks the latest E. coli guidelines
0:27:13 > 0:27:17suggest the raw carrots need to undergo a mechanised washing process
0:27:17 > 0:27:20before they can be used in the food trade.
0:27:20 > 0:27:21How will Andrew take it?
0:27:21 > 0:27:26How would you feel for now to say, "OK, we'll just..."
0:27:26 > 0:27:28- "..live without coleslaw," that's fine.- Yeah, yeah.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31- And that's a question... - I think that's ridiculous.
0:27:31 > 0:27:36Coleslaw is absolutely a totally healthy meal.
0:27:36 > 0:27:37If there is a risk of E. coli,
0:27:37 > 0:27:40- I'd rather serve it on the menu, saying there's a risk.- Mm.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44You know, I know mine come local. The carrots are local.
0:27:44 > 0:27:45I know they're extremely healthy,
0:27:45 > 0:27:47they're grown in very good conditions
0:27:47 > 0:27:50and that's what we're striving for, healthy food.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52I can understand the reaction that you're having.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55What I'm trying to say to you is that this is ultimately about
0:27:55 > 0:27:57trying to make sure that the consumer...
0:27:58 > 0:28:00..is protected.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04You only need fairly small numbers of the bugs to make people ill.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08David wants Andrew to take coleslaw off the menu while he checks,
0:28:08 > 0:28:09but Andrew's not happy.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11For me, if...
0:28:11 > 0:28:14You know, I'm running a very clean establishment,
0:28:14 > 0:28:17we're using local food, we're producing healthily.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19If it got to the point where the general rules
0:28:19 > 0:28:23were completely so outlandish that it didn't make sense for us to open,
0:28:23 > 0:28:28then there's no point to being open. There almost seems to be a...
0:28:28 > 0:28:30We've lost the sense of common sense.
0:28:30 > 0:28:35But, for David, it's all about going by the book. Quite literally.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38"Leafy and root vegetables...
0:28:38 > 0:28:41"that have not been supplied as ready-to-eat...
0:28:42 > 0:28:46"..will not have been subject to controlled washing procedures,
0:28:46 > 0:28:49"and should be classed as a potential hazard
0:28:49 > 0:28:52"in terms of cross-contamination of E. coli 0157,
0:28:52 > 0:28:55"particularly if soil or manure is visible.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59That is outrageous, as far as I'm concerned.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01I cannot...
0:29:01 > 0:29:03personally see the risk of it.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06David's agreed to talk to the Food Standards Agency,
0:29:06 > 0:29:08but that's cold comfort for Andrew.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12The risk of E. coli is absolutely miniscule.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16I mean, for me, "sufficient" would be bring them in here, wash them,
0:29:16 > 0:29:17chuck them in the fridge.
0:29:17 > 0:29:21You know, you got these people making decisions in suits and ties
0:29:21 > 0:29:24in an office and they are telling me what I can do in my nursery.
0:29:24 > 0:29:25That's what drives me nuts.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37'We're on the trail of the trade in illegally slaughtered meat.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41'It all began when our food inspector found some bones.'
0:29:41 > 0:29:44We're looking at about 60 pigs.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47'Then I met a farmer who'd had more than 50 sheep stolen
0:29:47 > 0:29:48'a few months ago.'
0:29:48 > 0:29:51This is not someone that's just come up into the hills...?
0:29:51 > 0:29:53That's quite a lot of sheep to move in one go.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55Well, it's a very large trailer load.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57'And it's a crime that can lead to stolen meat
0:29:57 > 0:29:59'ending up on our plates.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07'The slaughtering process that puts lamb, beef and pork on our plates
0:30:07 > 0:30:10'is closely monitored by men like Craig.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13'And he can't just stroll into an abattoir in his everyday clothes.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15'So it's time for us to put on our whites.'
0:30:15 > 0:30:18OK, now, what's this that's going on now?
0:30:18 > 0:30:20I've got a beard, I'm afraid, so the head must be covered.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24So you would rather keep the beard and wear the snood
0:30:24 > 0:30:27than lose the beard and not have to wear that?
0:30:27 > 0:30:29- Yes.- You really like your beard. - I do.
0:30:29 > 0:30:30MATT LAUGHS
0:30:30 > 0:30:32OK, so in terms of what's on our plate,
0:30:32 > 0:30:35what is this process eliminating
0:30:35 > 0:30:38that maybe it illegal slaughtering wouldn't be?
0:30:38 > 0:30:41Well, the process is all about controlling risk.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43The risks in this case are about bacterial diseases
0:30:43 > 0:30:46that could make you quite upset.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48'Bacterial diseases that they check for
0:30:48 > 0:30:50'include salmonella and E. coli,
0:30:50 > 0:30:52'but it's not just the things you can't see.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55'There are also rigorous checks for parasitic conditions -
0:30:55 > 0:31:00'abscesses from cysticercosis, tapeworms and liver fluke.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03So this slaughter process, it's got checks all the way through,
0:31:03 > 0:31:06for the outside of the animal, for the inside of the animal,
0:31:06 > 0:31:09to prevent these things coming through?
0:31:09 > 0:31:12Yes, definitely, because Simon, as the meat inspector here today,
0:31:12 > 0:31:15has got powers that, if he finds something that's wrong,
0:31:15 > 0:31:18he makes a judgement on the carcass that maybe part of the carcass
0:31:18 > 0:31:20would need to be removed from the food chain
0:31:20 > 0:31:22or, in some circumstances, the whole of the carcass
0:31:22 > 0:31:25would be forbidden from going into the food chain.
0:31:25 > 0:31:29The animal carcass is now passed fit for human consumption.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32The final job is to give the meat a UK health mark,
0:31:32 > 0:31:34meaning the meat can now be traced,
0:31:34 > 0:31:36all the way back to where it was farmed.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40If you do come across lamb that's not marked like that,
0:31:40 > 0:31:42is that a time you need to start asking questions?
0:31:42 > 0:31:44Yes. I would be very concerned about that.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47If you go to the supermarket and look at the retail packs of meat,
0:31:47 > 0:31:51you'll see that this mark it self translates onto the label -
0:31:51 > 0:31:53you'll see the oval mark to show where it was produced.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56so, when you see that mark on your chops, rump or roast,
0:31:56 > 0:31:58you can be happy it's safe.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01But if meat hasn't been through the proper channels,
0:32:01 > 0:32:05you may end up eating meat that has been treated like this...
0:32:08 > 0:32:11In 2010, Trading Standards officer Samantha Diamond
0:32:11 > 0:32:15was called to this farm in Northampton.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17We went into this initial barn at the front
0:32:17 > 0:32:22and there was a huge forequarter of meat, just hanging there on a chain.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24No coverings,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27so there's no temperature control of how the meat's kept.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30There's no protection from environmental factors,
0:32:30 > 0:32:32such as insects or bacteria.
0:32:32 > 0:32:37There's waste product here from the slaughter of animals.
0:32:37 > 0:32:40And that should be disposed of in a proper way
0:32:40 > 0:32:42so that other animals can't access it.
0:32:43 > 0:32:48In that storage area, there was meat from an animal
0:32:48 > 0:32:50that had been killed on-farm,
0:32:50 > 0:32:54so that had not been through any inspections.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58So that meat cannot be sold to members of the public.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03So the meat on the butchers' blocks and in the cardboard boxes,
0:33:03 > 0:33:04it's all exposed.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07You know, and if you're moving something from one part
0:33:07 > 0:33:09of the store to the other, if it's dripping blood,
0:33:09 > 0:33:12it's going to drip over the meat that's on the floor,
0:33:12 > 0:33:16so it's just not...hygienic.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18In this case, the farmer was home-slaughtering cattle
0:33:18 > 0:33:21for personal consumption, which IS legal.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24However, he was convicted for food safety and hygiene offences.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26But once animals are stolen,
0:33:26 > 0:33:29there's no saying how they're treated or disposed of.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33Animal rustling is a crime blighting the lives of farmers across Britain.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36And the damage it does to us doesn't end there.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39Stolen livestock don't go through any of the necessary checks
0:33:39 > 0:33:43to ensure that the food is clean, safe and free from disease.
0:33:43 > 0:33:48So a final message, to make sure you meat is safe, look for the stamp.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59Back in North London, and Claire is flying solo
0:33:59 > 0:34:02for a revisit to the Sun & Moon, a Chinese takeaway where rodents
0:34:02 > 0:34:06have been leaving more than just a few droppings.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10- There's feet here.- Ugh. Right, OK.
0:34:10 > 0:34:15I'm not happy with you to carry on trading and I will ask you to close.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18Claire has returned several days after the first visit,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21to find out if the rodent problem has been solved.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23The reason that I've come here today,
0:34:23 > 0:34:25obviously you requested a visit
0:34:25 > 0:34:28to see if you would be allowed to open today.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30I'm going to be looking around
0:34:30 > 0:34:33to see if I can see any further evidence of mouse activity.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42You've worked hard, well done. That's really good.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44So far, so good.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47But what about that shed where the takeaway ingredients are stored?
0:34:47 > 0:34:50There's a few bits of dirt, but there's no droppings.
0:34:50 > 0:34:51I can't see any more droppings here.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54But is there a way back in for the furry pests?
0:34:54 > 0:34:56I think, for the time being, while it's still open like this,
0:34:56 > 0:34:58don't keep the food in here.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02Until you get that covered, if you can move that inside.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04The shed may be open, but it's clean.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07But are there any signs of the mice inside the kitchen?
0:35:07 > 0:35:09The shop owners believe they've had all the gaps
0:35:09 > 0:35:12where the mice may have entered before now sealed.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17If you can get a pen in, if you can get a pen underneath,
0:35:17 > 0:35:19then you can get a mouse in.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21- Yeah, they will...- Yes, I know.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23..actually push their body down to get under.
0:35:23 > 0:35:24But have they?
0:35:27 > 0:35:30OK, there's one dropping there, but it may be that that was...
0:35:30 > 0:35:32It might have been on equipment before or...
0:35:32 > 0:35:35Will a single mouse dropping keep the shop closed?
0:35:35 > 0:35:37Or is Claire happy?
0:35:37 > 0:35:40You just need to make sure that if there is activity here,
0:35:40 > 0:35:42with mice, if there is a stray one in here,
0:35:42 > 0:35:44or one or two still in here, that everything is protected
0:35:44 > 0:35:48and also that you sanitise down just before any food preparation happens.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52The Sun & Moon's owners wait nervously to learn their fate.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55OK, well I'm happy that you've done all the works on the schedule.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59You've worked really hard here, so I am happy that you open,
0:35:59 > 0:36:00and I'll issue you with a new certificate
0:36:00 > 0:36:03which says that there's no longer an imminent risk here
0:36:03 > 0:36:05and that you're OK to open.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08Claire is satisfied with all of the work
0:36:08 > 0:36:10and the Sun & Moon is back in business.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15They've done all what is on the schedule of works
0:36:15 > 0:36:17and they seem to be really keen to comply.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19And there's a couple of things outstanding,
0:36:19 > 0:36:22but I'm really pleased, actually. They've really hard.
0:36:30 > 0:36:31Anyway, that was a great result
0:36:31 > 0:36:34for the Cagney and Lacey of food inspectors.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37- They won't remember Cagney and Lacey.- They will!
0:36:37 > 0:36:39Lacey - the really sexy blonde one.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41I'm surprised you're still here.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43You should be finding out about the man who dearly died
0:36:43 > 0:36:45because he ate an undercooked pork chop.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48- Oh, yeah, I'd better go. - See you.- See you in a minute.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55Now, if you've never had food poisoning, you are extremely lucky,
0:36:55 > 0:37:00because for those of us that HAVE had it, we can tell you it is pretty bad.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02You feel awful for at least a couple of weeks.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06And, for some, it's much, much worse. You're never quite the same again.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09And, for others, it can be nearly fatal.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12Every week, from my food lab, I'm going to be telling you
0:37:12 > 0:37:16some of the worst food poisoning stories there have ever been.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18And also, I'll be giving you a few tips
0:37:18 > 0:37:22to make sure that you don't become the next victim.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30This is the story of Darren Ashall from Chorley in Lancashire -
0:37:30 > 0:37:34big, strong, strapping lad, bit of a bodybuilder, in construction work.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36And that's how we spent his life,
0:37:36 > 0:37:41travelling around the UK in a caravan, living, cooking on site.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44And he made one mistake, one night,
0:37:44 > 0:37:46and it nearly cost him his life.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49Every Monday, I'd go to a supermarket
0:37:49 > 0:37:51and buy myself a big steak...
0:37:52 > 0:37:54..and two great pork chops.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59This particular pork chop, you could tell it wasn't quite cooked.
0:37:59 > 0:38:04- And I swallowed a bit.- How much? - Just a mouthful.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08Darren says he cooked his piece of meat for about five minutes.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12As I slice it open, as you can see, the meat is still red.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15Now, that means it isn't cooked well enough.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18The bacteria inside is still alive.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22Well, three weeks after eating that one mouthful of undercooked pork,
0:38:22 > 0:38:25things took a terrible turn for the worse.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28Woke up with the strangest headache I've ever had.
0:38:28 > 0:38:34And a tingling in the corner of here, like pins and needles,
0:38:34 > 0:38:36if you will, but it were localised.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40Within 48 hours, Darren was in intensive care,
0:38:40 > 0:38:42fighting for his life.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46I never thought that Darren had gone from being at work,
0:38:46 > 0:38:51a couple of days earlier, to the state that he was in there.
0:38:51 > 0:38:56And it just went drastically downhill. Drastically, so quick.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00I had tubes in my hands, tubes up my nose, tubes down my throat.
0:39:01 > 0:39:05But the only time I realised I thought I was going to die
0:39:05 > 0:39:08was when my family was round my bed.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11And they all started to leave, crying.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15We was told that they was taking him down for some scan,
0:39:15 > 0:39:21so we all said our goodbyes to him as they were wheeling him off and...
0:39:21 > 0:39:25That was it for me. I thought that would be it.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28I didn't think we'd ever see Darren alive again.
0:39:29 > 0:39:33Darren believes he contracted listeriosis from listeria
0:39:33 > 0:39:35in his undercooked piece of pork.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38Listeria in undercooked pork is rare,
0:39:38 > 0:39:42but not unheard of because listeria is widespread in the environment.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46In soil, in sewage and in the faeces of animals.
0:39:46 > 0:39:50It wasn't just the listeria, it was what listeria caused to happen
0:39:50 > 0:39:52so it went beyond listeria.
0:39:52 > 0:39:57Listeria was the pinpoint of it but it was like a domino effect.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00It brought everything else on with it as well.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03Darren's nervous system was under attack.
0:40:03 > 0:40:07Listeria in food passes through the stomach to intestine
0:40:07 > 0:40:11where the bacteria invades your own cells. And it's clever.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14It tricks the immune system into thinking it's harmless
0:40:14 > 0:40:16by hiding inside our body.
0:40:16 > 0:40:21Then it multiplies and affects other parts and, in Darren's case,
0:40:21 > 0:40:24doctors believe the bacteria invaded his nervous system,
0:40:24 > 0:40:27leading to meningitis.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30The doctors said I could possibly lose a limb
0:40:30 > 0:40:32due to the meningitis alone.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36Listeria had a high kill rate
0:40:36 > 0:40:40and to pull through with both was quite spectacular.
0:40:40 > 0:40:45After five months of aggressive antibiotics, Darren began to improve.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48The doctors still didn't know what had caused his illness.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52He went through his list of things.
0:40:52 > 0:40:57I went, "No, no." "Have you had any undercooked pork?"
0:40:57 > 0:41:04And as soon as he said that, that's it. It was like a light bulb.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08From undercooking a pork chop,
0:41:08 > 0:41:15you go within a month from being a bodybuilder to being at death's door.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17Yes, literally.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20Listeria can occasionally be found in raw meat,
0:41:20 > 0:41:25but it's most commonly found in chilled ready-to-eat foods, including
0:41:25 > 0:41:32prepacked sandwiches, pate, butter, soft cheeses and cooked sliced meats.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36The best ways to prevent listeria infection is to always
0:41:36 > 0:41:39wash your hands before and after handling raw food,
0:41:39 > 0:41:45don't eat food that is past its use-by date, always follow storage
0:41:45 > 0:41:49instructions and make sure your fridge is below 5 degrees centigrade.
0:41:49 > 0:41:55The only advice I can give people is to make sure you cook it properly.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58Overcook it, just don't undercook it.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01Because it could cost you your life.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04Coming up later, I'll visit a sandwich factory
0:42:04 > 0:42:08to see how they keep their products listeria-free.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11This doesn't look like a kitchen, this looks like a science lab.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17Brent, North London.
0:42:17 > 0:42:23Home to more than 300,000 people and also to some 2,500 food outlets,
0:42:23 > 0:42:26every one of which needs to be inspected.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31Brent Council's food inspector Andreas Kirschner is heading off to
0:42:31 > 0:42:35inspect a fishmonger and butcher who he has inspected before.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39The first thing he needs to do is find out if it's got any history.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43By looking at the last inspection, I would expect that we find
0:42:43 > 0:42:45a little bit of dirt.
0:42:45 > 0:42:50Things don't get off to a terrific start.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54I've got to tell you, the shop is in a bad state of repair, OK?
0:42:54 > 0:42:58If you look at it, the whole thing is falling apart, literally, yeah?
0:42:58 > 0:43:02It's not long before Andreas finds tell-tale signs that this shop
0:43:02 > 0:43:04may have had some...visitors.
0:43:06 > 0:43:10The mice are running over the shelf, and then
0:43:10 > 0:43:16they are gnawing through the packaging and eating the contents.
0:43:16 > 0:43:19So they have an endless supply of food in here, yeah?
0:43:21 > 0:43:25There's quite a bit of mouse droppings around this area as well.
0:43:25 > 0:43:28Aw, mice - lovely, aren't they? Cute, furry... No.
0:43:28 > 0:43:31There actually a serious problem in any food business.
0:43:31 > 0:43:34One rodent could lay up to 60 droppings every night
0:43:34 > 0:43:36and they urinate frequently.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39If that wasn't bad enough, they can carry salmonella
0:43:39 > 0:43:42and also a disease that can cause viral meningitis.
0:43:42 > 0:43:44You know you have a lot of gaps, yeah?
0:43:44 > 0:43:48If you look at the doors, there are a lot of gaps where they can come in.
0:43:48 > 0:43:50A mouse is going to get through here.
0:43:50 > 0:43:52Mice are getting through openings as small as a pencil.
0:43:52 > 0:43:56You need a door that fits to the frame properly.
0:43:56 > 0:44:00But mice aren't the only pest problem this shop has faced.
0:44:00 > 0:44:05Andreas is looking for evidence of a continuing cockroach invasion.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08Whatever your pest control company is doing,
0:44:08 > 0:44:11it is not working entirely because it seems you have the mice
0:44:11 > 0:44:14and the cockroaches for some considerable time.
0:44:14 > 0:44:16It has been mentioned in consecutive test reports.
0:44:18 > 0:44:20Cockroaches are one of the worst food pests.
0:44:20 > 0:44:23They carry and transmit diseases such as dysentery,
0:44:23 > 0:44:25gastroenteritis and typhoid.
0:44:25 > 0:44:29Their droppings have been linked to an increase of eczema and asthma
0:44:29 > 0:44:33and a few cockroaches in the kitchen can quickly become an infestation.
0:44:36 > 0:44:42There is an alive one. You see this one there?
0:44:43 > 0:44:46In the cockroach world, it's considered very bad form to
0:44:46 > 0:44:49be found lying on your back when the inspector calls.
0:44:49 > 0:44:56This bug is out of luck. Smile. You're going on Facebook.
0:44:58 > 0:45:05Has the owner done everything the pest control men suggested to get rid of this problem?
0:45:05 > 0:45:10In his report, it says also that spraying would be needed.
0:45:10 > 0:45:12I'm not sure if that has been carried out.
0:45:12 > 0:45:16I doubt it, otherwise you wouldn't have so many cockroaches.
0:45:16 > 0:45:18Andreas' suspicions seem to be confirmed
0:45:18 > 0:45:22by what he finds behind the fish counter.
0:45:28 > 0:45:32There are quite a lot of cockroaches there. Do you know about it, yeah?
0:45:32 > 0:45:35Do you see them running around? There are loads of them there.
0:45:38 > 0:45:41So they arrived here in the preparation area
0:45:41 > 0:45:44where they prepare the fish, cut the flesh, do whatever.
0:45:44 > 0:45:47So, obviously, that's completely unacceptable.
0:45:47 > 0:45:51The evidence is mounting up and, in some cases, crawling off.
0:45:51 > 0:45:54It's time for the owner to face his filth.
0:45:54 > 0:45:56If you have a look for yourself,
0:45:56 > 0:45:59you have so many live cockroaches in the preparation area.
0:45:59 > 0:46:02They are all alive. Have a look.
0:46:02 > 0:46:04I've got to tell you, it doesn't look good.
0:46:04 > 0:46:07I think we're going to have to shut you down.
0:46:07 > 0:46:10I think we have to close you.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12Why? Because you have cockroaches running over your food.
0:46:12 > 0:46:18For me, if I see live cockroaches within your preparation area,
0:46:18 > 0:46:23- that is not acceptable. - I have too many children.
0:46:23 > 0:46:25If you close my shop, I'm dead.
0:46:25 > 0:46:28If I leave you open, you're killing your customers.
0:46:28 > 0:46:30Let me ask you a question.
0:46:30 > 0:46:36Would you like that your wife goes to a shop and buys fresh fish
0:46:36 > 0:46:39and fresh produce when you know in the shop
0:46:39 > 0:46:43they have mice and cockroaches and they crawl over the food
0:46:43 > 0:46:46that your wife is going to buy and you're going to eat?
0:46:46 > 0:46:49- I know, I understand. - Do you understand what I'm saying?
0:46:49 > 0:46:51So you understand our point, OK?
0:46:51 > 0:46:54There is no option but to close you today, formally.
0:46:58 > 0:47:00In my opinion, it is a risk to public health.
0:47:00 > 0:47:03It is right next to food. The owner knows about it.
0:47:03 > 0:47:05It's in the pest report.
0:47:05 > 0:47:07It's in consecutive reports as well
0:47:07 > 0:47:12so it is not something that's happened since yesterday.
0:47:12 > 0:47:16It's an ongoing thing and I think they should be closed.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24The decision's made and the premises are closed.
0:47:24 > 0:47:28The owner now has an opportunity to clean up his act, and Andreas
0:47:28 > 0:47:32will return in two weeks when he will assess the improvement.
0:47:32 > 0:47:35Until then, the shutters are coming down.
0:47:44 > 0:47:45I'm in a food factory. Why?
0:47:45 > 0:47:53Because UK food production is worth a whopping £179 billion a year.
0:47:53 > 0:47:57That's a lot of cash and along with that comes a lot of responsibility.
0:47:57 > 0:47:59One small mistake
0:47:59 > 0:48:02and the consequences to the consumer can be enormous.
0:48:02 > 0:48:06Each week, I have been given exclusive behind-the-scenes access
0:48:06 > 0:48:10to show you how the major manufacturers keep Britain safe.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16Cheese and tomato, cheese and ham, ham and pickle,
0:48:16 > 0:48:21cheese and pickle, BLT, chicken salad. I love sandwiches.
0:48:21 > 0:48:24And you would have thought to produce one of these -
0:48:24 > 0:48:28a prepacked sandwich - safely would be something pretty easy to do.
0:48:28 > 0:48:32But did you know that one of these is a potential breeding ground
0:48:32 > 0:48:33for lethal bacteria?
0:48:33 > 0:48:36So what do the sandwich makers do to make them safe?
0:48:38 > 0:48:41This is Raynor Foods in Chelmsford.
0:48:41 > 0:48:44They are a firm which prides itself on food safety.
0:48:44 > 0:48:47They make 30,000 sandwiches every day.
0:48:47 > 0:48:50They have to take their food safety very seriously.
0:48:52 > 0:48:56- If I could ask you to put your hood on.- There is a hood on there?
0:48:56 > 0:48:59Yes, we have a hood because hair complaints are one of the most
0:48:59 > 0:49:01common complaints in the food industry.
0:49:01 > 0:49:05I would say a hair in a sandwich isn't nice. Bit dodge.
0:49:05 > 0:49:09- But it's not going to cause me any harm, is it?- It's possible.
0:49:09 > 0:49:12Hair can contain a pathogen called Staphylococcus aureus
0:49:12 > 0:49:16and in sufficient numbers these can produce a toxin and this toxin can
0:49:16 > 0:49:20cause food poisoning symptoms like diarrhoea, stomach ache, nausea.
0:49:20 > 0:49:24OK, I'm going to take a hair much more seriously next time I see it in food.
0:49:24 > 0:49:26Let's go.
0:49:26 > 0:49:29OK, I look stupid in my rather fetching blue overalls,
0:49:29 > 0:49:33but at least you won't be picking any of my hair out of your sandwiches.
0:49:35 > 0:49:38- How many sandwiches do you make? - About 32,000 products per day.
0:49:38 > 0:49:43So 32,000 sandwiches products a day. There's not a lot in your fridge.
0:49:43 > 0:49:47All the stock gets delivered to us just prior to when we need it
0:49:47 > 0:49:51so we're using it as close to its production day as possible.
0:49:51 > 0:49:54And the reason they don't want any of their ingredients
0:49:54 > 0:49:56hanging about any longer than necessary is
0:49:56 > 0:50:01because of one of the deadliest food poisoning bacteria known to man.
0:50:01 > 0:50:04- Our old friend listeria.- You see, it's a very common organism.
0:50:04 > 0:50:07You can find it in your drains at home, on the bottom of your shoe,
0:50:07 > 0:50:09you can find it in the back of your fridges
0:50:09 > 0:50:11if you don't clean it out often enough.
0:50:11 > 0:50:13It's ubiquitous. It's everywhere.
0:50:13 > 0:50:17Of course, strict temperature control isn't the only way of keeping
0:50:17 > 0:50:21- the bugs at bay. - This is the sterilisation room.
0:50:21 > 0:50:24- What goes on in here? - We wash all our fruit,
0:50:24 > 0:50:29vegetables and herbs, as well as external packaging in this solution.
0:50:29 > 0:50:32When you're washing lettuce and vegetables,
0:50:32 > 0:50:35are you just making sure there is not mud in it
0:50:35 > 0:50:36or is there something serious?
0:50:36 > 0:50:39No, you're removing the mud, which is important,
0:50:39 > 0:50:41and you're also removing any potential pathogens.
0:50:41 > 0:50:44These grow in the field.
0:50:44 > 0:50:47E. coli is found in animal intestines and human intestines
0:50:47 > 0:50:52and if they use manure in the fields, it's possible you could get
0:50:52 > 0:50:56E. coli contaminating all the lettuce and tomatoes.
0:50:56 > 0:50:59Is it water? It doesn't smell like water.
0:50:59 > 0:51:03- No, we wash it in chlorinated water. - Is that safe?
0:51:03 > 0:51:07The levels that we use it at, yeah. We wash it at very, very low level.
0:51:07 > 0:51:11OK, so any vegetables get Jacuzzi'd in chlorine to kill the bacteria.
0:51:11 > 0:51:13Next up is the assembly line.
0:51:13 > 0:51:17Those of you obsessed with continuity may notice my boiler suit has
0:51:17 > 0:51:20changed colour. That's because it's extra clean in here.
0:51:22 > 0:51:26This doesn't look like a kitchen, this looks like a science lab.
0:51:26 > 0:51:29Yeah, it's very sterile and hygienic in here.
0:51:29 > 0:51:31And it's a lap with just one purpose.
0:51:31 > 0:51:35To get a sandwich made as quickly and as hygienically as possible.
0:51:35 > 0:51:38Because as soon as those two pieces of bread hit the line,
0:51:38 > 0:51:40the clock starts ticking.
0:51:40 > 0:51:42We've got a lot of people in here and a lot of equipment in here
0:51:42 > 0:51:46and that produces a lot of heat. So because it's warmer in here,
0:51:46 > 0:51:49it's more of a chance for bacteria to grow and multiply.
0:51:49 > 0:51:53So by limiting the amount of time that it stays in production,
0:51:53 > 0:51:55that limits the potential growth.
0:51:55 > 0:51:58So you are taking enormous precautions here.
0:51:58 > 0:52:00I have a confession - it's not like that in my kitchen
0:52:00 > 0:52:05- when I'm making a sarnie.- You can only poison your own household.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08Because we're supplying thousands and thousands of consumers,
0:52:08 > 0:52:10we have the potential to cause a lot of harm,
0:52:10 > 0:52:13which is why we take the precautions that we do
0:52:13 > 0:52:16to mitigate and reduce them to acceptable levels.
0:52:16 > 0:52:22And there we have it - the perfect sandwich. And it tastes delicious.
0:52:23 > 0:52:27To all the prepacked sandwich makers, we salute you and thank you.
0:52:27 > 0:52:29Carry on protecting Britain.
0:52:34 > 0:52:37Back in Bedfordshire, and two weeks ago food inspector
0:52:37 > 0:52:40David Naughton visited the Mill End nursery and cafe.
0:52:40 > 0:52:42When it came to carrots,
0:52:42 > 0:52:46David wasn't happy with how they were being washed.
0:52:46 > 0:52:51Root vegetables that have not been supplied as ready to eat
0:52:51 > 0:52:55will not have been subject to controlled washing procedures.
0:52:55 > 0:52:59The risk of E. coli is absolutely miniscule.
0:52:59 > 0:53:02You've got these people making decisions in suits and ties
0:53:02 > 0:53:05in an office and they are telling me what I can do in my nursery.
0:53:05 > 0:53:07That's what drives me nuts.
0:53:07 > 0:53:10Andrew's coleslaw was off the menu.
0:53:10 > 0:53:13It was deemed too dangerous to serve.
0:53:13 > 0:53:15He wasn't going to take it lying down,
0:53:15 > 0:53:18and he took his campaign to the local papers.
0:53:19 > 0:53:22But now David's had time to get some guidance from
0:53:22 > 0:53:23the Food Standards Agency
0:53:23 > 0:53:27over the complicated issue of carrot cleansing.
0:53:27 > 0:53:30What they came back to me with
0:53:30 > 0:53:34was the advice that what controlled washing
0:53:34 > 0:53:40means in practice is rinsing in cold water in a colander
0:53:40 > 0:53:44and removing the item to ensure that all dirt is removed.
0:53:44 > 0:53:46So that's carrot washing then.
0:53:46 > 0:53:50Pretty straightforward. And that is great news for Andrew.
0:53:50 > 0:53:52So the new guidelines are out?
0:53:52 > 0:53:56I'm really pleased to say we can have coleslaw back on the menu.
0:53:56 > 0:54:00We are now doing the carrots in the way that we have been told
0:54:00 > 0:54:03and I can use my fresh carrots from Grove farm.
0:54:03 > 0:54:06I would have imagined this sort of thing would've taken six months,
0:54:06 > 0:54:08that I would have had to have battled my way out of miles
0:54:08 > 0:54:13and miles of paper but, I think whoever David knows and has spoken to,
0:54:13 > 0:54:17commonsense has prevailed and that's what's important.
0:54:17 > 0:54:20Absolutely. And it's good to know that food inspectors are happy
0:54:20 > 0:54:23to listen and, if necessary, take advice.
0:54:23 > 0:54:27For Andrew, not one to miss a trick, his coleslaw is back on the menu
0:54:27 > 0:54:30but now he's given it a very cheeky new name.
0:54:39 > 0:54:42Back in Brent and food inspector Andreas Kirschner
0:54:42 > 0:54:44closed Number 1 Halal Meat two weeks ago.
0:54:44 > 0:54:48On his first visit, he found a cockroach infestation.
0:54:48 > 0:54:51You have so many live cockroaches in the preparation area.
0:54:51 > 0:54:53They're all alive.
0:54:53 > 0:54:56But it turns out the cockroaches were only really there
0:54:56 > 0:54:57to keep the mice company.
0:54:59 > 0:55:05You have mice gnawing through the packaging and eating the contents.
0:55:05 > 0:55:08There is no option but to close you today, formally.
0:55:11 > 0:55:15He's now off to find out if any improvements have been made.
0:55:15 > 0:55:19I'm going to go there and have a look and see if he has refurbished.
0:55:19 > 0:55:23See if all the pests are actually gone.
0:55:23 > 0:55:25Then we decide if he can reopen or not.
0:55:32 > 0:55:34So you've done quite a bit, eh?
0:55:34 > 0:55:38Looks like a completely different shop now.
0:55:38 > 0:55:40First impressions are good
0:55:40 > 0:55:42and Andreas is impressed by the look of the place.
0:55:42 > 0:55:44But he has got an eye for detail.
0:55:47 > 0:55:50Not even the smallest space escapes his attention
0:55:50 > 0:55:52as Andreas ensures public safety,
0:55:52 > 0:55:58armed only with a meticulous nature and a can of bug spray.
0:55:58 > 0:56:03Cockroaches are crafty but, happily for the owner's customers,
0:56:03 > 0:56:07Andreas is just as thorough at making sure that they're gone.
0:56:15 > 0:56:18Hold on. What's this?
0:56:18 > 0:56:20Here.
0:56:20 > 0:56:24Doh! Has the owner blown it?
0:56:24 > 0:56:26There is just some stuff crawling around there.
0:56:26 > 0:56:30But one cockroach does not an infestation make.
0:56:30 > 0:56:32And Andreas can deliver some good news.
0:56:32 > 0:56:38We found one barely alive cockroach, but, in my opinion,
0:56:38 > 0:56:41the imminent risk of injury to public health has been removed,
0:56:41 > 0:56:44so we're going to give you a certificate today,
0:56:44 > 0:56:45then you can reopen.
0:56:45 > 0:56:49- Thank you very much.- You're welcome.
0:56:49 > 0:56:51The hard work has paid off.
0:56:51 > 0:56:53It's a new start for the business
0:56:53 > 0:56:56and a safer future for its customers.
0:56:57 > 0:56:59Now I am very, very happy because
0:56:59 > 0:57:02now everything is OK here, properly.
0:57:02 > 0:57:05And opening it is better for me.
0:57:07 > 0:57:10For us, the most important thing is that we closed him
0:57:10 > 0:57:13when we did because, obviously, at that point,
0:57:13 > 0:57:15his premises were completely unacceptable.
0:57:15 > 0:57:18Whereas if you're walking in now, it's a nice shop.
0:57:18 > 0:57:22Everything was clean, everything was refurbished.
0:57:22 > 0:57:26You can see, walking in, it looked like a different shop altogether.
0:57:26 > 0:57:28Pest control seems to have done a good job.
0:57:28 > 0:57:31I think that's a good result for us.
0:57:39 > 0:57:41It's good to know the food inspectors are out there
0:57:41 > 0:57:45keeping shops and restaurants safe, but our kitchens?
0:57:45 > 0:57:48Well, they're up to us.
0:57:48 > 0:57:50For those of you that do cook at home,
0:57:50 > 0:57:54hopefully we have given you some good advice about how to cook safely.
0:57:54 > 0:57:57- And don't be put off your dinner. It'll be all right.- It will be.
0:57:57 > 0:58:00- See you next week.- Goodbye. Seriously, cheese, a bit of pickle.
0:58:00 > 0:58:03- I'm not going to do it.- It's simple. - I don't want to do it.
0:58:03 > 0:58:04Next week,
0:58:04 > 0:58:08the illegal trade in shellfish that's putting our health at risk.
0:58:08 > 0:58:12We know people are going out there and bringing in cockles
0:58:12 > 0:58:15and I for one most certainly won't be eating them.
0:58:15 > 0:58:20In Gravesend, Mandy finds a filthy kitchen and lays down the law.
0:58:20 > 0:58:23Dump it. Get a new one. What are you playing at?!
0:58:23 > 0:58:25You need to get your act together.
0:58:25 > 0:58:28And I drop in on the woman who cares more about her pets
0:58:28 > 0:58:30than her kitchen.
0:58:30 > 0:58:32I'll test it, but it looks to me like faeces.
0:58:50 > 0:58:53Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd