0:00:02 > 0:00:04There's a lot we don't know about the food on our plates.
0:00:04 > 0:00:08And the shops and labels don't always tell you the whole story.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11Sometimes, when you have these offers on in the supermarket,
0:00:11 > 0:00:13you think you're getting a good deal.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16But if you're actually throwing it away, it's not a good deal.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18Whether you're staying in or going out,
0:00:18 > 0:00:22you've told us you can feel ripped off by the promises made for
0:00:22 > 0:00:25what you eat and what you pay for it.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27What really winds me up is the price of so-called healthy food,
0:00:27 > 0:00:29compared with the unhealthy stuff.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32The unhealthy stuff seems to be so much cheaper.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35From claims that don't stack up to the secrets behind
0:00:35 > 0:00:38the packaging, we'll uncover the truth about Britain's food,
0:00:38 > 0:00:42so you can be sure you're getting what you expect at the right price.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48Your food, your money. This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain and our special series about
0:00:56 > 0:01:00food, which today is all about making sure the things we eat
0:01:00 > 0:01:01don't do us any harm.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05Whether that's because we've eaten something that perhaps is past its
0:01:05 > 0:01:08best or if it turns out that the store we bought it from simply
0:01:08 > 0:01:11- isn't clean enough.- Doesn't bear thinking about, does it?
0:01:11 > 0:01:15Both of those situations could potentially lead to food poisoning,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18which of course explains why there are swarms of people working
0:01:18 > 0:01:21so hard to try and prevent any of us from getting ill -
0:01:21 > 0:01:25from the Food Standards Agency to your local Trading Standards.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Well, although the work of all those people is vital,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30there are still things that slip through the net and
0:01:30 > 0:01:33a number of you have been in touch about your concerns.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36So we've gone behind the scenes in the food industry to try and
0:01:36 > 0:01:39answer some of those questions and to ask what else could be
0:01:39 > 0:01:41done to keep us safe.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Coming up, with even big-name supermarkets scoring badly in
0:01:46 > 0:01:50the hygiene stakes, we're on the road with the teams cracking down on
0:01:50 > 0:01:54stores, making sure that every place we buy our food is up to scratch.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Your food hygiene rating certainly won't rise from your two that
0:01:58 > 0:02:00you've currently got at the minute. Potentially, actually,
0:02:00 > 0:02:04your food hygiene rating will go down to a one.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07And a controversy that bitterly divides dog owners and, I must
0:02:07 > 0:02:10say, I've wrestled with this one myself - should you or should
0:02:10 > 0:02:12you not feed your dog raw meat?
0:02:14 > 0:02:16It was incredible.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20It was absolutely unbelievable because we'd spent hundreds of
0:02:20 > 0:02:25pounds on this dog and actually, all we needed to do was change her diet.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31I'm sure that many of you may remember that in our last
0:02:31 > 0:02:35food series, we took a look at the hygiene ratings that you've
0:02:35 > 0:02:38probably seen displayed on a green-and-black sticker in
0:02:38 > 0:02:41the windows of restaurants and cafes.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44It's a measure of cleanliness given by the local council,
0:02:44 > 0:02:48following an inspection of any outlet that sells food.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52Now, in England, a rating of five is the best rating and zero...
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Well, clearly, that's far from good.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Scotland have a slightly different system, but the expected
0:02:57 > 0:03:01levels of cleanliness are of course exactly the same.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05But what you may not have realised is that these standards also
0:03:05 > 0:03:08apply to shops and supermarkets.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11And just as we found last time with eating establishments,
0:03:11 > 0:03:15some of these stores, even those belonging to big-name chains,
0:03:15 > 0:03:19have been given a rating of zero or one.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23So we've been finding out why on earth that happens and
0:03:23 > 0:03:25what's being done to clean them up.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Every day in towns and cities across the UK,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33there's an army of people whose job it is to make sure that the
0:03:33 > 0:03:36places where we buy food are kept in the state we'd expect.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40How did we identify we had a problem? Did you see droppings?
0:03:40 > 0:03:43I could see the rats outside! Yeah, yeah.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46And each time when they throw the rubbish to the bins,
0:03:46 > 0:03:47we can see the rats.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51And with so many fast-food takeaways, restaurants and bars,
0:03:51 > 0:03:56the work of the Environmental Health officer has never been busier.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Good to see all your bin lids are shut. It doesn't smell.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03There's no waste or litter blowing around the floor.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06But it's an equally vital part of their job to inspect
0:04:06 > 0:04:09supermarkets, to ensure that these, too,
0:04:09 > 0:04:11are kept pristine and pest-free.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15And there's no sign of any droppings or anything like that.
0:04:15 > 0:04:16And certainly,
0:04:16 > 0:04:20the people we spoke to would assume that that was always the case.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23I would definitely expect the highest standards of hygiene
0:04:23 > 0:04:25- in supermarkets.- That's great.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28You just don't know what goes on behind the scenes there,
0:04:28 > 0:04:31so you would just be expecting the best.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35I would expect a supermarket to be clean.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38I mean, you're looking at fresh food and you're picking it up.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41You wouldn't expect, like, an infestation where you've got,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44like, rat droppings and everything all over t'place.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46I've been in one what I don't think's clean.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49I'm not saying it's dirty-dirty.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52But it's just... I don't go in it.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57So, it seems that some people are indeed choosing to take their
0:04:57 > 0:04:59custom elsewhere. But thankfully,
0:04:59 > 0:05:04the Food Standards Agency takes the business of hygiene very seriously.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06They set the guidelines for the rating scheme,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10which the local authorities follow when carrying out inspections
0:05:10 > 0:05:12of a shop or supermarket.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17The food hygiene rating scheme actually lets you know about
0:05:17 > 0:05:19the things you don't see at a premises.
0:05:19 > 0:05:25That gives consumers an idea of what the actual hygiene standards
0:05:25 > 0:05:27are like at the premises.
0:05:27 > 0:05:28But also, it's for businesses -
0:05:28 > 0:05:32they can show their customers they take food hygiene seriously
0:05:32 > 0:05:35and it acts as an incentive for those that are perhaps
0:05:35 > 0:05:38performing not so well to actually raise their game.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42The areas that the food safety officer inspects are the
0:05:42 > 0:05:47hygienic handling of food, which covers the preparation,
0:05:47 > 0:05:51cooking, cooling, reheating and storage of food.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53There's the management of food safety,
0:05:53 > 0:05:57which looks at the processes that are in place to make sure the
0:05:57 > 0:06:00business ensures that the food it serves is safe.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04The training of staff and then there's how clean
0:06:04 > 0:06:08a building is, layout, ventilation, and pest control.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10- Walk-in chiller? Down at the back?- Yeah.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12- In the back, yeah.- OK.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Of course, the best way to see if shops and supermarkets are
0:06:15 > 0:06:16sticking to the rules,
0:06:16 > 0:06:19so that we can be really confident about spending our money there,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22is to join the teams carrying out their inspections.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25We're not really going to find problems in here. It's too cold.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27- So all your stock's in here?- Yeah.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30- You don't have any other stock off site?- No.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34First, we're in Slough, with the senior enforcement officer on
0:06:34 > 0:06:37the food and safety team, Julie Snelling.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40So, yeah, the business that we're going to visit this afternoon
0:06:40 > 0:06:42is a Polish retailer.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45The last time this small supermarket was inspected,
0:06:45 > 0:06:50it was awarded a hygiene rating of two, indicating improvements
0:06:50 > 0:06:54were needed, and the team has issued recommendations to help with that.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56Hello. My name's Julie. I'm from Slough Borough Council.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59I've come to do your routine food hygiene inspection today.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03Owner Beston Omar will join Julie for the inspection.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07After washing her hands,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10she starts by checking the temperature of the fridges.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15The guidelines say that a fridge or freezer storing food should
0:07:15 > 0:07:18be checked at least once a day.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21If they're not cold enough, harmful bacteria can grow.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27- Do you check the temperature inside, as well?- Yes, I think we've got...
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Do you have one thermometer, or do you have two, or...?
0:07:30 > 0:07:32- We have two.- You have the two.- Yeah.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35- You can't find either of them? - No, I don't know right now.
0:07:35 > 0:07:36You don't know where they are.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39- But do they use them every day? - Yeah, they use them earlier.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42If they're using them here for checking every day, do they not keep it here?
0:07:42 > 0:07:46- They used to keep it here, but I don't know where they put it. - You don't know where they've put it.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48It's not a great start.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52The lack of thermometers could mean that the fridges have not
0:07:52 > 0:07:54been monitored as often as they should be.
0:07:54 > 0:07:59So, after cleaning her own device, Julie takes the readings herself.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03- Temperature looks very good.- Yeah. - So it's already at four.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05- It is normal.- And it's coming down.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07Their fridge is working at a good temperature,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09so I'm very happy with the temperature.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12However, I'm a little concerned about actually the
0:08:12 > 0:08:13temperature-checking regime,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16simply because they've not been able to find their thermometer probe.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20But while the temperature in the meat fridge is as expected, on the
0:08:20 > 0:08:23other side of the shop, the fresh-cake fridge
0:08:23 > 0:08:24has a higher reading.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27How do you manage the temperature control in here?
0:08:27 > 0:08:30- Where do you take...? - The display there.
0:08:30 > 0:08:31- OK.- Yeah.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34You read the labels, the manufacturer - the person who
0:08:34 > 0:08:37made this cake - is telling you that you must store it below eight.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40There's also a legal requirement because these are what we
0:08:40 > 0:08:42call high risk. They've got fresh cream in them.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45You have to store them at or below eight degrees.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48This one is saying here store below five degrees.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Beston must lower this fridge's temperature to eliminate the
0:08:51 > 0:08:55risk of bacteria growing in these high-risk fresh goods.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58So, a little adjustment maybe on the fridge there,
0:08:58 > 0:09:01just to make it a little bit cooler. But it's not terribly bad,
0:09:01 > 0:09:04but we do need to bring it down below eight degrees.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08An inspection like this covers every aspect of hygiene,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11from the shop floor to the staff toilets.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Because the toilet's not ventilated.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17On the last inspection, the storage at the rear wasn't considered up
0:09:17 > 0:09:21to scratch and Julie's not convinced enough improvements have been made.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23Better managed, yeah.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26This is obviously an area where your staff are storing their uniform.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29So every day, they need to take their dirty one home.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31This is an area where you're storing food.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33Got lots of kind of dirty clothing and stuff.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36It's either a food area, or it's not a food area.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Julie would like to see a separate area for the staff to keep
0:09:39 > 0:09:41their clothes, away from the food.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45- This is your walk-in chiller?- Yeah. - What are the items down here?
0:09:45 > 0:09:48- They are all for fridge. - It's all across the floor.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50We need it to come up off of the floor.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54All food should be safely stored off the floor and out of the
0:09:54 > 0:09:57reach of other products, to avoid cross-contamination.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59So despite the efforts he's already made,
0:09:59 > 0:10:04it seems that owner Beston still needs to try that bit harder.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06This whole area here all needs cleaning.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10Because with the inspection complete, it's not good news.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14I'm going to let you know after I've written my letter what your
0:10:14 > 0:10:16food hygiene rating will be.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19However, I think I need to kind of inform you that your food
0:10:19 > 0:10:21hygiene rating certainly won't rise from your two that you've
0:10:21 > 0:10:24currently got at the minute. Potentially, actually,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27your food hygiene rating will go down to a one.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30The rating going down isn't what Beston had hoped for.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33And though he's ready to get stuck in to turning that around,
0:10:33 > 0:10:35he's got his work cut out.
0:10:35 > 0:10:40It's quite difficult with a big store and I'm just by myself
0:10:40 > 0:10:44working, like, hard to improve it, but I keep trying.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48I try to do whatever she told me,
0:10:48 > 0:10:52try to do different process then.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56And he won't be on his own with that because Julie and her team
0:10:56 > 0:10:59will offer advice to get that score up again next time.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02What I'll be looking to now is really for the business to
0:11:02 > 0:11:04kind of work with us as a local authority,
0:11:04 > 0:11:07so that we can agree kind of small steps forward and then for
0:11:07 > 0:11:10him to concentrate kind of in the longer term on some of the
0:11:10 > 0:11:14more minor issues, as well, but I have every hope that, actually, if we can work together and
0:11:14 > 0:11:19build a good working relationship that actually we can get him to improve quite substantially.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24But it's not just smaller supermarkets and corner shops
0:11:24 > 0:11:27that sometimes score lower ratings on these inspections.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31Not every branch of the big-name stores always comes out
0:11:31 > 0:11:33too well, either.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37In fact, on the day we checked the Food Standards Agency database,
0:11:37 > 0:11:41there were 25 branches of various well-known stores that had
0:11:41 > 0:11:46a food hygiene score of either one, zero, or in Scotland,
0:11:46 > 0:11:48"improvement required".
0:11:48 > 0:11:51We requested copies of their inspection reports and the
0:11:51 > 0:11:54ones we got back didn't make for pleasant reading.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00Tesco, Coop, and Budgens -
0:12:00 > 0:12:03each had several stores with hygiene problems.
0:12:03 > 0:12:08Five Tesco outlets needed major improvements, including an Express
0:12:08 > 0:12:13store in Colliers Wood, which had evidence of squirrels in the yard.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16The Coop was responsible for eight problem stores,
0:12:16 > 0:12:19including the Coop Welcome in Smallfield, Surrey,
0:12:19 > 0:12:23where sandwiches were being stored in fridges that were too warm.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27However, the FSA says such failings from major chains is the
0:12:27 > 0:12:29exception, rather than the norm.
0:12:31 > 0:12:36These are not typical, as 80% of supermarkets are rated as a five.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40But people can rest assured that the food safety officer will
0:12:40 > 0:12:42be taking the necessary action to ensure that these things are
0:12:42 > 0:12:45addressed and that when they go to the supermarket and buy their
0:12:45 > 0:12:47food, the food will be safe to eat.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50And if that does mean that the business has to be closed down,
0:12:50 > 0:12:53or part of the business actually closed,
0:12:53 > 0:12:56then rest assured that will be done.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59When we contacted the supermarkets about the stores with low
0:12:59 > 0:13:03hygiene ratings, Budgens told us that while all its stores are
0:13:03 > 0:13:05independently owned and operated,
0:13:05 > 0:13:10it would work with the low-rated stores to help them improve.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13It said that over 85% of Budgens stores have
0:13:13 > 0:13:15a score of either four or five.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20And the Coop told us that it insists on the highest standards of
0:13:20 > 0:13:24hygiene and issues raised by the inspection in Smallfield were
0:13:24 > 0:13:28quickly rectified, including replacing the refrigeration.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33Tesco said the cleanliness in its stores is extremely important
0:13:33 > 0:13:37and stressed that over 99% are rated good or very good condition.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42They went on to say that immediate and extensive action
0:13:42 > 0:13:46has been taken to address the five stores with hygiene issues,
0:13:46 > 0:13:50including a deep clean and improvements to the yard at
0:13:50 > 0:13:51its Colliers Wood store.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55- They have the date on them.- Yeah.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Right, fine.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00But there's one issue that all food outlets face,
0:14:00 > 0:14:03whatever their hygiene rating.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05So for the next hygiene inspection,
0:14:05 > 0:14:09we're joining senior environmental health officer Ben Thompson from
0:14:09 > 0:14:13Bury Council, who works with food businesses to keep pests at bay.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Good.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19The main issue with pests is if the issue is ignored by the food
0:14:19 > 0:14:22business operator, it doesn't go away, it just gets worse.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24So it's important that if they have a problem,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27they need to attend to that and address it as soon as possible,
0:14:27 > 0:14:30to prevent it escalating and becoming a major problem.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34Today, Ben is inspecting a deli that's previously had
0:14:34 > 0:14:36a problem with rats.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40So he's catching up with the owner on what's been done to tackle it.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43How did we identify we had a problem? Did you see droppings?
0:14:43 > 0:14:46- We could see the rats outside. - Oh, you saw the rats.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48In the evening time when they throw the rubbish to the bins,
0:14:48 > 0:14:51- you can see the rats running. - Right, OK.- Next to the bins.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54And what did you do when you saw that problem?
0:14:54 > 0:14:58They really scared, come inside the shop and we ring the pest
0:14:58 > 0:15:02control straightaway and tell them we have rats outside the shop.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04And they come next day, so they are doing, as well,
0:15:04 > 0:15:06a really good service.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09When owner Rafael moved his deli to this site three years
0:15:09 > 0:15:13ago, he also inherited this pest problem.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17Since then, he's worked hard to make the premises rat-proof.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20We will walk around, like, three times around the shop,
0:15:20 > 0:15:23so we put in, like, special things on the drains,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26so they can't go through the drains, we fill up with the special
0:15:26 > 0:15:30- thing on the roof, so they can't go through the roof.- OK.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33So prepare shop quite well to not get inside.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36The store now has a pest control team that makes regular
0:15:36 > 0:15:40visits and every potential rat hole has been filled.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44It's reassuring to see that they've got down a trap.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49The fact they can demonstrate it through the pest control records,
0:15:49 > 0:15:54they're actively monitoring the situation with regards to rodents.
0:15:54 > 0:15:59And I can tell that it's clean and tidy, there are no burrows.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Ben is happy with the improvements and, after inspecting the rest of
0:16:02 > 0:16:07the store, he increases the deli's hygiene rating from three to four.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11I'll give you this food hygiene rating of four, which is good.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13And again, five is excellent,
0:16:13 > 0:16:17and you'll easily be able to achieve that with those minor improvements.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20And you'll be able to display that proudly on your wall.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22Thank you very much.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27So we really happy with the four. But we want to get the five.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Fingers crossed, we will get the five.
0:16:29 > 0:16:34Rafael will now proudly display his four-star rating in the window,
0:16:34 > 0:16:38reassuring customers that everything is clean and well-maintained.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44But as we've reported before, not every establishment does this
0:16:44 > 0:16:48and nor is there always an obligation for them to do so.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50In Wales and Northern Ireland,
0:16:50 > 0:16:54every place that's inspected must display its hygiene rating.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58But in England and Scotland, it isn't a legal requirement and
0:16:58 > 0:17:02many places don't bother - something that the FSA want to change.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05The Food Standards Agency is committed to making it a legal
0:17:05 > 0:17:09requirement to display the rating, but at the moment within the agency,
0:17:09 > 0:17:13the regulatory framework that underpins food safety is currently
0:17:13 > 0:17:16being reviewed by a project called Regulating Our Future.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19We will then put together a case to put to ministers to look to
0:17:19 > 0:17:22get legislation in place to require the display of ratings.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25Generally, what we advise is if you don't see a rating,
0:17:25 > 0:17:29either ask why or look around for somewhere that does proudly
0:17:29 > 0:17:32display its rating, that's got a rating of three, four, or five.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36You may not have realised food shops and supermarkets even have
0:17:36 > 0:17:40ratings similar to those in cafes and restaurants,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43but the work of hygiene inspectors like the ones we've been out
0:17:43 > 0:17:47with remains key to ensuring that consumers can make an
0:17:47 > 0:17:49informed decision about where to shop.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52It's very important for the locality that actually our businesses
0:17:52 > 0:17:55are good and have good food hygiene ratings and it's important
0:17:55 > 0:17:58for their business, too, so we will always encourage them to
0:17:58 > 0:18:00follow the advice we've given in inspection reports.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03As a council, we also provide a self-help checklist that
0:18:03 > 0:18:06enables them actually to go round and to check their own areas
0:18:06 > 0:18:09of the premises and to ask themselves some questions about how well they're doing.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12We'd always encourage them to do that again to make sure that
0:18:12 > 0:18:14they're doing all that they should be doing.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20Still to come on Rip-Off Britain,
0:18:20 > 0:18:23we do our own research into out-of-date food -
0:18:23 > 0:18:27that was an issue for a number of low rated stores - and are
0:18:27 > 0:18:30staggered by the number of products that we find past their best.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36So, this salami that you found is a month past its use by date.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39I really wouldn't be comfortable eating it because any
0:18:39 > 0:18:42disease-causing bacteria will have had a chance to amplify.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49Now, it isn't just the food we eat that can prove controversial.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52There's equally fierce debate over what we feed our pets,
0:18:52 > 0:18:56as I found out when I recently got a lovely new little puppy and
0:18:56 > 0:19:00found myself confronted with two very different pieces of advice.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03Well, I spoke to a number of people about what I'd been told and
0:19:03 > 0:19:06was really interested to see how many said that they'd been
0:19:06 > 0:19:10just as confused as I was over exactly the same issue.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12So for anyone with a four-legged friend,
0:19:12 > 0:19:16this next story will either strike a familiar chord or make you
0:19:16 > 0:19:18question some of the food you're feeding it.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24As you may know,
0:19:24 > 0:19:27I'm a massive dog-lover and, a few times over the years, my two
0:19:27 > 0:19:32lovely ones, Roxy and Gemma, have even popped up in this programme.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35However, very, very sadly, I lost Roxy earlier this year,
0:19:35 > 0:19:37which was totally devastating.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40But while nothing or nobody can take her place,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42I didn't want Gemma to get lonely, either.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45So we decided to get another King Charles Cavalier.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Well, this is Polly, my new pup.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50She's only four months old and she's a handful,
0:19:50 > 0:19:53but she's absolutely delightful.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56Now, when we picked Polly up from the breeder, she had actually been
0:19:56 > 0:20:00weaned from the mother on raw food, which I've never dealt with, really.
0:20:00 > 0:20:01So I continued with that,
0:20:01 > 0:20:05but then when I went for Polly's vaccinations at 12 weeks,
0:20:05 > 0:20:09I asked my vet about that and he was totally against raw food,
0:20:09 > 0:20:13so there I am and, as I want to do my best for our new pup,
0:20:13 > 0:20:14I'm not too sure which way to go.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Now, until all this happened, I hadn't realised what
0:20:21 > 0:20:25a hot potato the question of feeding dogs raw food actually is.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29And I have to tell you, I was left very, very confused over what to do.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32I'm usually a firm believer that the vet knows best,
0:20:32 > 0:20:37but Polly seemed to be thriving on the raw meat that I was giving her.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40And at this dog show in Stafford, the owners we spoke to were
0:20:40 > 0:20:44very divided over what they should be feeding their precious pooches.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48I used to feed raw,
0:20:48 > 0:20:53but I was worried about getting all the nutrients and the balance right.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57The right percentage of bone, offal and meat and muscle,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00so I decided to move them on to a dried food.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02It's a prepared food. Prepared dried food.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05It's what the dogs were first on when we first got them from
0:21:05 > 0:21:08the breeders. I've never had any problems or any issues with them,
0:21:08 > 0:21:10so I've just carried on, really.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13In the wild, they would have obviously gone and sourced
0:21:13 > 0:21:16their food and eaten it.
0:21:16 > 0:21:21Where nowadays, we source the food and we make it adaptable for them.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24I've found raw, they really like it, they eat it,
0:21:24 > 0:21:28I have no problems with them.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30It sounds horrendous - they do wonderful poos.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37An uncooked-meat diet can cost more than double the processed
0:21:37 > 0:21:41equivalent, especially if you buy readymade raw food.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43But just like our processed meals,
0:21:43 > 0:21:48conventional dog food can contain preservatives, flavours and colours.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Many advocates of a raw diet pay the extra to get closer to
0:21:51 > 0:21:54a food that they see as natural.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58And one person who swears by a raw diet is Ann Ridyard.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02She first came across it when her golden retriever Winnie began
0:22:02 > 0:22:04losing her fur.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09We took her to the vet's and he basically told us that it was
0:22:09 > 0:22:11canine alopecia.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14She was a healthy dog, other than that.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17She could live with it. It wasn't bothering her.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19But it was bothering me a lot.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21Are you all right with that? Do you need a hand out?
0:22:21 > 0:22:25- Oh, it's fine.- All right, thanks again.- Bye.- Bye.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Well, Ann started to do some research and came across
0:22:27 > 0:22:31someone on an online forum whose dog had a similar problem.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35Now, this owner had changed her dog's diet from commercial dog food
0:22:35 > 0:22:39to raw meat and was so sure of the benefits that Ann did the same.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44I went to butchers, I cobbled together a diet,
0:22:44 > 0:22:48based on what I believed to be right.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52And my dog improved within a matter of weeks.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56The fur started growing back. It was incredible.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58It was absolutely unbelievable
0:22:58 > 0:23:02because we'd spent hundreds of pounds on this dog and
0:23:02 > 0:23:06actually all we needed to do was change her diet.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10Ann was so taken aback that a change in diet could have made such
0:23:10 > 0:23:13a dramatic effect that she wanted to make it easier for others to
0:23:13 > 0:23:15do the same.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19So she set up her own business, supplying and selling raw food.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22And ever since, her opinion on commercial dog food
0:23:22 > 0:23:24has changed completely.
0:23:24 > 0:23:29It's an artificial replacement food
0:23:29 > 0:23:31for real food and I think
0:23:31 > 0:23:37that because of marketing hype and because of the way society
0:23:37 > 0:23:41has gone over the past 75 years, we've tried to turn our
0:23:41 > 0:23:44carnivores into four-legged recycling
0:23:44 > 0:23:47machines for grain and they're not.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49- Hello.- Hi.- Hi, how are you?
0:23:49 > 0:23:53And there are plenty of people who share the same opinion.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58Vet Dr Rahini has been an advocate of raw food since her pet cat
0:23:58 > 0:24:00passed away from cancer.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03I started doing some research
0:24:03 > 0:24:06and then I happened to do a course
0:24:06 > 0:24:10in animal healing and one of the chapters in the course was
0:24:10 > 0:24:12about raw food.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15- Looks like he's lost a bit of weight. Yeah?- Yeah.
0:24:15 > 0:24:20'I started looking at it as an alternative way of feeding animals,'
0:24:20 > 0:24:23which seemingly was fantastic.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Dr Rahini now owns a dog and believes
0:24:26 > 0:24:28a raw diet is the way forward to keep it healthy.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34I personally feel that the majority of the conditions that we see
0:24:34 > 0:24:38in practice can be prevented by being on the right diet.
0:24:38 > 0:24:43And some of the conditions that are very frustrating to treat and
0:24:43 > 0:24:47that seem to be reoccurring very often are food allergies,
0:24:47 > 0:24:51aid to pee, obesity, dental problems, and ear
0:24:51 > 0:24:55infections, all of which can really
0:24:55 > 0:25:00be fixed, majority of the time, by feeding pets the right diet.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03'Well, all of that is certainly very different
0:25:03 > 0:25:05'from the advice from my own vet.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08'I was told not to feed Polly raw meat,
0:25:08 > 0:25:10'because raw diets have been found to contain
0:25:10 > 0:25:12'a number of types of bacteria
0:25:12 > 0:25:14'which are harmful to dogs, and indeed humans,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17'such as salmonella and campylobacter.'
0:25:17 > 0:25:21Now, advocates of the raw food diet say that any bacteria that's found
0:25:21 > 0:25:24is not at levels that would be seriously harmful.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27But on the other hand, I would hate to see my new puppy get ill -
0:25:27 > 0:25:29or indeed any other dog get ill -
0:25:29 > 0:25:31because of something that I had chosen to feed them.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34'As you can see, the varieties of many of...'
0:25:34 > 0:25:36'Back at the toy-dog show,
0:25:36 > 0:25:40'animal nutritionist Mike Davies would take that line, as well.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43'He lectures in animal nutrition, and also advises dog-food
0:25:43 > 0:25:48'manufacturers on what canines need to ensure they get a balanced diet.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52'And while he agrees that raw could in theory give a dog
0:25:52 > 0:25:56'everything it needs, it's difficult to get the right balance.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59'So it's not an approach he would recommend,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01'particularly for young dogs.'
0:26:01 > 0:26:04I would urge people not to feed puppies raw.
0:26:04 > 0:26:05And the reason for that is,
0:26:05 > 0:26:08if you get the balance between feeding the meat and the
0:26:08 > 0:26:10other parts of the carcass wrong,
0:26:10 > 0:26:13you can end up with really serious dietary problems, which can
0:26:13 > 0:26:17lead to nutritional deficiencies, which can lead to disease.
0:26:17 > 0:26:18And we see a lot of that.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22If you feed too much meat in your raw food,
0:26:22 > 0:26:26then that will be a calcium-deficient diet.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30If you over-supplement with calcium, and you get too much calcium,
0:26:30 > 0:26:33that can interfere with other minerals like copper and zinc,
0:26:33 > 0:26:36which we have shown are important to developmental diseases.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38'Mike believes that, overall,
0:26:38 > 0:26:42'it's safer and less expensive to use a complete commercial feed.'
0:26:42 > 0:26:44You should be able to rely on a good manufacturer that's
0:26:44 > 0:26:48selling you a complete pet food to have ensured that that food
0:26:48 > 0:26:50contains everything a growing puppy needs,
0:26:50 > 0:26:54and also have conducted trials to prove it does.
0:26:54 > 0:26:55And the second reason is,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58you can be reassured that the bacterial infections which
0:26:58 > 0:27:02could be being carried in a raw food aren't going to be present,
0:27:02 > 0:27:05because the cooking process will have destroyed them.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09'But with opinions of owners and vets being so clearly split,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12'I want to know what the official guidance on this is
0:27:12 > 0:27:14'from the veterinary profession.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16'So I've come straight to the top,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19'to meet the president of the British Veterinary Association,
0:27:19 > 0:27:20'Gudrun Ravetz.'
0:27:22 > 0:27:23So, I have my new puppy, Polly.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25Obviously, I want to do my best for her.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28So, where do you stand on it all?
0:27:28 > 0:27:33So, we know from research that raw food can contain salmonella.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35But importantly, quite a lot of raw food
0:27:35 > 0:27:37is contaminated by campylobacter.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40We know that's quite a significant reason for poisoning,
0:27:40 > 0:27:41certainly in people.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44The raw food that I feed her comes prepacked,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46- and they say it's a complete thing. - Yeah.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50All the nutrients have been... Good nutrients have been added.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53So it's not like it's just any old raw food from the butcher.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Even with commercially prepared foods
0:27:55 > 0:27:56that have potentially been frozen,
0:27:56 > 0:28:00there's still a higher risk of those contaminated pathogens,
0:28:00 > 0:28:02and you can imagine those contaminating pathogens are not
0:28:02 > 0:28:06killed by cooking, they're then potentially around Polly's mouth,
0:28:06 > 0:28:09around Polly's paws, perhaps in the food bowl.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11And then that can be a risk. So...
0:28:11 > 0:28:15- Do you mean a risk to not only Polly but to humans?- Yes, potentially.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18So we need to be aware that Polly can be ingesting these
0:28:18 > 0:28:21and shedding these pathogens - the salmonella, campylobacter -
0:28:21 > 0:28:25so they are actually shedding it out but they're well in themselves.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29'Gudrun's also keen to highlight foods that you should never feed your dog.'
0:28:29 > 0:28:32And what are the absolute no-nos, as far as you're concerned?
0:28:32 > 0:28:35Onions, grapes, raisins,
0:28:35 > 0:28:38can all have serious problems with dogs.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40Particularly grapes and raisins - they can cause kidney problems,
0:28:40 > 0:28:42and that can be very serious.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44In terms of onions, then, what's the problem?
0:28:44 > 0:28:46Does that get stuck in their system, or something?
0:28:46 > 0:28:48No, it has an effect in the body
0:28:48 > 0:28:50which can make them very, very poorly.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52- Really?- So it's actually the onion itself.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54And then other things like chocolate.
0:28:54 > 0:28:55And can that kill a dog?
0:28:55 > 0:28:58Yes, it can. It can be very, very serious.
0:28:58 > 0:28:59So again, with any of those,
0:28:59 > 0:29:01the minute you notice they've eaten something like that,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04it really is important you speak to your local veterinary surgeon
0:29:04 > 0:29:06and you get them down.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12'Well, chocolate raisins and onions are all definitely
0:29:12 > 0:29:13'off the menu for Polly.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16'But you know, things aren't so clear-cut on the big dilemma
0:29:16 > 0:29:18'of whether to feed her raw meat.
0:29:18 > 0:29:19'But for me, though,
0:29:19 > 0:29:22'some of Gudrun's words have rather hit home.'
0:29:23 > 0:29:26Well, the end of it all, we've looked at both sides
0:29:26 > 0:29:29really thoroughly, and each is as dedicated as the other.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32The only thing, from my point of view, when I heard the
0:29:32 > 0:29:36Veterinary Association say that salmonella or other bacteria could
0:29:36 > 0:29:40actually transfer quite easily from a dog to a human being,
0:29:40 > 0:29:42I personally have to be really careful
0:29:42 > 0:29:46because at one point, from meat, I had a type of blood poisoning
0:29:46 > 0:29:48and I was in hospital for two weeks.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52So I'm a bit afraid of that and, at this precise moment,
0:29:52 > 0:29:55I am veering towards moving away from raw food.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58However, it is sufficient to say that the jury is out.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07Earlier in the programme, we discovered that several
0:30:07 > 0:30:10supermarkets and local stores have been issued with shockingly
0:30:10 > 0:30:14low hygiene ratings by their local councils.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17We also found that several establishments had out-of-date food
0:30:17 > 0:30:19sitting on their shelves.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22And that was something that one viewer had already written to us
0:30:22 > 0:30:26about after spotting the same thing in several shops near to her.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29Well, that set us wondering just how widespread this might be.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32And the only way to find out was to go shopping.
0:30:35 > 0:30:36'Many times on this series,
0:30:36 > 0:30:40'we've talked about the various dates on food packaging.
0:30:40 > 0:30:44'And while a number of products with a "best before" date can often
0:30:44 > 0:30:49'be safely consumed after that date, anything labelled "use-by"
0:30:49 > 0:30:52'really does need to be polished off by then.
0:30:52 > 0:30:56'What's more, it an offence for foods to be sold after that use-by date,
0:30:56 > 0:31:00'and any business caught doing it can face a hefty fine.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06'As happened to Asda in November 2016.'
0:31:07 > 0:31:12Asda has been fined £75,000 for selling out-of-date food
0:31:12 > 0:31:15at its West Bridgford store in Nottinghamshire.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17Most of the items found by inspectors were chilled meats,
0:31:17 > 0:31:22including a pack of haslet five months past its use-by date.
0:31:22 > 0:31:26'Not every instance of this happening will make headlines.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30'But if the experience of Nadiya Amlani is anything to go by,
0:31:30 > 0:31:33'other retailers, including local convenience stores,
0:31:33 > 0:31:36'may be selling out-of-date foods more often than you'd think.'
0:31:38 > 0:31:42I went into my local supermarket, and I picked up some fresh soup.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45And I got home and I realised it had actually gone out of date
0:31:45 > 0:31:47two days prior to that.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49So it was a really frustrating experience,
0:31:49 > 0:31:52because I had just got home, planned to have that soup for dinner,
0:31:52 > 0:31:55and unfortunately couldn't eat it because it was
0:31:55 > 0:31:58a fresh chicken soup and I was worried about the consequences.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02'Nadiya says she has encountered the same problem
0:32:02 > 0:32:05'on subsequent visits to the same store.'
0:32:05 > 0:32:08Since then, I've noticed it a few times, as well.
0:32:08 > 0:32:13I've been back into my local supermarket and picked up
0:32:13 > 0:32:16a milk or a bread or a butter, and on those occasions
0:32:16 > 0:32:19I have actually realised, in some instances,
0:32:19 > 0:32:20that they are out of date.
0:32:20 > 0:32:21To be perfectly honest,
0:32:21 > 0:32:24I don't think I check every single product before I put it
0:32:24 > 0:32:27into my basket, I think that could get quite time-consuming and
0:32:27 > 0:32:30I don't exactly have an endless amount of time in the supermarket,
0:32:30 > 0:32:33it's usually a really quick, five-minute shop.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37I've only complained about this on two occasions.
0:32:37 > 0:32:40And those occasions were when it came to high-risk items,
0:32:40 > 0:32:43so I think one was a milk situation
0:32:43 > 0:32:47and one was fresh chicken breast.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49And in both those instances,
0:32:49 > 0:32:51I went back to the supermarket and complained about it.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54And the reaction, in one case, was pretty positive.
0:32:54 > 0:32:55It was like, you know,
0:32:55 > 0:32:59really apologetic for the situation, and they will speak to management.
0:32:59 > 0:33:00In another case,
0:33:00 > 0:33:03it was not apologetic at all and it was more like,
0:33:03 > 0:33:06"Well, you can't prove that that particular product was purchased
0:33:06 > 0:33:10"today, and that receipt is associated with this product."
0:33:10 > 0:33:14'Well, luckily, on each of the occasions that caused her to complain,
0:33:14 > 0:33:17'Nadiya had spotted that the food she'd bought was out of date
0:33:17 > 0:33:21'before she ate it. But what would be the risks if she hadn't?
0:33:21 > 0:33:24'Dietician Rick Miller has come to offer advice.'
0:33:26 > 0:33:28If I bought a chicken soup today,
0:33:28 > 0:33:30and it had gone off date two days ago,
0:33:30 > 0:33:32can I eat that soup?
0:33:32 > 0:33:35I would say, absolutely do not eat it.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38Because it is now two days beyond the point where it should have been
0:33:38 > 0:33:42off the shelf, and it definitely should have been flagged with the supermarket
0:33:42 > 0:33:45so they can tighten up their regulatory controls,
0:33:45 > 0:33:47because it is a safety risk.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51How soon after food has gone past its date can you actually eat it?
0:33:51 > 0:33:53When is it considered to be dangerous?
0:33:53 > 0:33:57The use-by date is there for safety.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59So you should not be consuming foods that have
0:33:59 > 0:34:01a use-by date beyond that date.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04Now, of course, some people are going to bend the rules
0:34:04 > 0:34:06and they're going to try and sniff things and make sure,
0:34:06 > 0:34:09but those aren't particularly reliable measures because
0:34:09 > 0:34:14pathogens, or microorganisms, things like bacteria, moulds, fungi,
0:34:14 > 0:34:16they start to build up on the foods and then they start to
0:34:16 > 0:34:19become unsafe to eat and they could cause things like salmonella,
0:34:19 > 0:34:23like food poisoning, so people could be incredibly unwell.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25And is there a difference in particular types of products
0:34:25 > 0:34:27and their use-by dates?
0:34:27 > 0:34:29So, for example, one time it was a chicken soup,
0:34:29 > 0:34:30the next time it was butter.
0:34:30 > 0:34:33Like, what can I eat beyond its use-by date?
0:34:33 > 0:34:36There are certain foods that don't need to have, by law,
0:34:36 > 0:34:40a use-by date because they don't tend to become dangerous
0:34:40 > 0:34:42after a certain point, they just degrade,
0:34:42 > 0:34:44so they become untasty or not very good.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47So butter is one of those foods, because those microorganisms
0:34:47 > 0:34:49can't really grow on butter very easily,
0:34:49 > 0:34:53or the types of microorganisms that do grow aren't particularly unsafe.
0:34:53 > 0:34:54Bread's another one,
0:34:54 > 0:34:57certain types of cakes - those without cream or jam -
0:34:57 > 0:35:00they just become inedible, really, they become untasty.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04But other foods, things like dairy products, meat, vegetables,
0:35:04 > 0:35:08soups, maybe, these are actually quite a safety risk
0:35:08 > 0:35:11if you start consuming them beyond the use-by date.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14And unfortunately, the sniff test is not always enough
0:35:14 > 0:35:17to know if something is actually going a little bit out of date.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20'Luckily, it's not just down to us shoppers to make sure
0:35:20 > 0:35:24'that out-of-date food doesn't end up in our baskets.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27'Local authorities are keeping a watchful eye out, too.
0:35:27 > 0:35:31'Jo Hamer works for West Yorkshire Trading Standards and says
0:35:31 > 0:35:35'this is an issue that regularly comes up during inspections.'
0:35:37 > 0:35:40Out of date food is something that we are always looking at
0:35:40 > 0:35:42when we are out and about on retail premises,
0:35:42 > 0:35:44and it's something that the department takes very seriously.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47We would visit businesses routinely, so if they are on our radar,
0:35:47 > 0:35:50we would be doing perhaps an annual check of them.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52We also get information from environmental health
0:35:52 > 0:35:54of new businesses that have been registered,
0:35:54 > 0:35:56in which case we would visit a proportion of those.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00And we also get complaints from consumers that they're selling
0:36:00 > 0:36:03past the use-by date, so we would visit them in those instances.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05We would inspect any retail business,
0:36:05 > 0:36:09whether that be a small independent or a large multinational company.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11As we saw earlier in the programme,
0:36:11 > 0:36:15local authorities do prefer to work with businesses to ensure
0:36:15 > 0:36:18good food practices are in place.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21But when required, they'll take tough action, too.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25The department's actions are proportionate.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27So, if for example, if there are a few items that are a few days
0:36:27 > 0:36:30past the use-by date, while that is still in itself an offence,
0:36:30 > 0:36:34the business might have missed checking, it looks like they are
0:36:34 > 0:36:37doing some checks but they've just missed on those particular days.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40However, if a large number of items are found a large number of days
0:36:40 > 0:36:43past their use-by date, that is deemed more serious.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46The items are much more unsafe, the business, it seems to us,
0:36:46 > 0:36:48are not doing the checks at all,
0:36:48 > 0:36:52and therefore it would possibly go to court.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55'And indeed, that is what's happened to one store on Jo's patch
0:36:55 > 0:36:58'in a particularly shocking recent case.'
0:36:59 > 0:37:01We visited the premises following information
0:37:01 > 0:37:05from Environmental Health that the business had changed ownership.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07So we visited to carry out an inspection,
0:37:07 > 0:37:10looked in the refrigerator to check the items were all within date.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13Unfortunately, we found a large number of items past their use-by date,
0:37:13 > 0:37:18items such as sliced chicken, sliced turkey and yoghurts were found.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20This was a very serious case, because on inspection,
0:37:20 > 0:37:27we found 88 items, totalling 1,769 days past their use-by date.
0:37:27 > 0:37:32The worst cases were five items found 48 days past that date.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35'The case went to court and the store and one of its directors
0:37:35 > 0:37:39'were ordered to pay more than £20,000 in fines and costs
0:37:39 > 0:37:41'for selling unsafe food.'
0:37:43 > 0:37:45'Well, that's an extreme case.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48'We wanted to get a sense of how frequently stores do have foods
0:37:48 > 0:37:53'past their use-by date on sale that we might buy unsuspectingly.'
0:37:55 > 0:37:58'And, of course, the only way to do that was to go shopping.'
0:38:00 > 0:38:04Over three days, we visited a mix of 25 convenience stores
0:38:04 > 0:38:08and local corner shops in Manchester and Salford.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12We thought we might find the odd one or two selling outdated food,
0:38:12 > 0:38:16but in fact, it turned out to be the case in no less than eight of them.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18That's nearly a third of the total.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23We managed to buy a total of 14 products past their best,
0:38:23 > 0:38:26including yoghurt, ham, a sausage roll and salami.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32During two visits to one branch of a major convenience store,
0:38:32 > 0:38:37we found five products out of date, including some Italian prosciutto
0:38:37 > 0:38:40that was 65 days past its use-by date.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43Yup, you heard right - over two months out of date.
0:38:45 > 0:38:50Well, we took our findings to the lab of microbiologist Dr Chloe James
0:38:50 > 0:38:53to find out what could be lurking beneath the packaging.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59These products that you've brought in are all refrigerated.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02Despite the fact of them being stored at four degrees, a number of
0:39:02 > 0:39:06disease-causing bacteria can quite happily grow at that temperature.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10In particular, listeria can happily amplify at four degrees, and so they
0:39:10 > 0:39:14would still pose a risk, especially those that are more out of date.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20'Dr James is particularly concerned as several of the processed
0:39:20 > 0:39:24'products we bought will already have been exposed to bacteria
0:39:24 > 0:39:26'in the various stages of their production.'
0:39:28 > 0:39:32So, these are all highly processed foods, and a lot has gone on
0:39:32 > 0:39:35in between the farm and the supermarket shelves.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39In particular, chickens are commonly colonised by campylobacter,
0:39:39 > 0:39:43which is the number one food poisoning bacteria in the UK.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45In that case, the meat has been contaminated
0:39:45 > 0:39:48from the guts of the chicken at slaughter.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51Other ways that the meat could be contaminated is during
0:39:51 > 0:39:56preparation, so the food handlers, or if the equipment is contaminated.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58Listeria is an environmental organism,
0:39:58 > 0:40:02and so that could contaminate food during the processing.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05If that's not sterilised before packaging,
0:40:05 > 0:40:09that bacteria is going to amplify where it sits on the shelf,
0:40:09 > 0:40:13so if you eat food that's beyond its use-by date, you're increasing
0:40:13 > 0:40:17the likelihood of being exposed to any of that bacteria, if it's there.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20'And it seems each of the products we bought
0:40:20 > 0:40:22'could have a different risk.'
0:40:22 > 0:40:26Yoghurt past its use-by date could also be a concern.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28It's a rich source of nutrients for bacteria,
0:40:28 > 0:40:31and if there's any disease-causing bacteria there,
0:40:31 > 0:40:34they're only going to amplify in the fridge.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36'And even the cured meats, which typically have
0:40:36 > 0:40:40'a long shelf life, will be of concern when out of date.'
0:40:41 > 0:40:45So this salami that you found is a month past its use-by date.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49I wouldn't be comfortable eating this, even though the curing process
0:40:49 > 0:40:53does kill a lot of bacteria, you can't rule out the fact that
0:40:53 > 0:40:56bacteria will have been transferred to it during processing.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01'We sent all of our findings to the respective councils,
0:41:01 > 0:41:04'who've passed the details onto the Environmental Health teams
0:41:04 > 0:41:06'for further investigations.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10'And if you come across similarly outdated products when you're
0:41:10 > 0:41:13'out shopping, though the temptation may be to just leave them
0:41:13 > 0:41:17'and move on, back in Yorkshire, trading standards officer Jo Hamer
0:41:17 > 0:41:20'says you should always bring it to the store's attention.'
0:41:23 > 0:41:25It's important that businesses are aware of the potential
0:41:25 > 0:41:28consequences of selling food past their use-by date.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31Their reputation could be damaged, but ultimately,
0:41:31 > 0:41:33it comes down to the consumer.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36Their health is at risk if they eat food past their use-by date.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40If a customer were to find items past their use-by date on sale,
0:41:40 > 0:41:43I would advise them not to buy the product and to tell the
0:41:43 > 0:41:46business that they've found this item past the date.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49'As for Nadiya, she's staying extra-vigilant
0:41:49 > 0:41:52'and won't hesitate to make a fuss if she comes across
0:41:52 > 0:41:55'any more out-of-date food in her local store.'
0:41:55 > 0:41:58I'm hoping that supermarkets
0:41:58 > 0:42:02can do more rigorous checks, that they can put better checks
0:42:02 > 0:42:05in place for their employees, and making sure that their employees
0:42:05 > 0:42:09go in and check dedicated shelves or sections of the supermarket.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11But I've got to the conclusion
0:42:11 > 0:42:13that it's partially customer responsibility,
0:42:13 > 0:42:16it's partially me having to just check these items to make sure that
0:42:16 > 0:42:19my health is not at risk because of something that someone else has done.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27Well, as we've seen, making sure that the food that we eat
0:42:27 > 0:42:29doesn't do us any harm can be a tough job.
0:42:29 > 0:42:33But we can all do our bit to support the work of the councils
0:42:33 > 0:42:37and food agencies by alerting them to any unhygienic practices we come across.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40They can't take away all the risks entirely,
0:42:40 > 0:42:42but they are really committed to getting it right.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45And I think it was fantastic to see first-hand
0:42:45 > 0:42:48the work that is being done, as well as getting an insight
0:42:48 > 0:42:51into exactly what sort of improvements are needed
0:42:51 > 0:42:54in places that have not met the right hygiene standards.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57But, of course, don't forget that we're just as interested
0:42:57 > 0:43:00as the authorities in things don't come up to scratch,
0:43:00 > 0:43:01so please do tell us, as well.
0:43:01 > 0:43:03And that goes for issues around anything
0:43:03 > 0:43:06that you spend your money on - not just food.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09Because we're seriously on the hunt right now for stories
0:43:09 > 0:43:11for other Rip-Off Britain programmes coming up.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14So it could be yours that we investigate next time.
0:43:14 > 0:43:15But for the moment, that's it,
0:43:15 > 0:43:18and from all of us here on the Rip-Off Britain team, bye-bye.
0:43:18 > 0:43:19- Goodbye.- Goodbye.