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Careless chemical handling lands café owner fine

17 June 2008

Serving dishwasher detergent instead of mulled wine has cost a Queenstown café operator more than $4000 in a case brought by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA).

Two women were hospitalised after drinking the poisonous substance on July 9 last year. One of the women had her throat badly burnt and may suffer long-term oesophageal damage as a result of the incident.

NZFSA Director of Compliance and Investigation, Geoff Allen, is pleased with the sentence, which he hopes will serve as a reminder to food businesses. “This was a serious case as the consequences for the two women involved could have been fatal. It clearly illustrates the care that has to be shown when handling and preparing food and the crucial need for food to be stored separately from chemical agents and labelled appropriately.”

Chico’s Restaurant Ltd which operates Queenstown’s Old Man Rock Café where the incident occurred appeared in Queenstown District Court last month charged with two offences under the Food Act. The company pleaded guilty to one charge of selling food containing an extraneous thing – namely caustic soda - that is injurious to health. The other charge of preparing a food containing extraneous things was withdrawn.

At yesterday’s sentencing the café operator was ordered to pay $1000 for emotional harm to each of the two victims, reparation to the victims of $1020, analysts’ fees of $877.50 and court costs of $250.

An investigation carried out by the Department of Labour showed that the two liquids were mixed up after 20 litres of dishwashing liquid was delivered in a container that had formerly been used to hold mulled wine. A detergent label had been placed over the mulled wine tag, however, it did not cover up the entire previous label and the container was not stored with the other chemicals in the kitchen. The café has since complied with a notice to improve the way chemicals are used in the workplace.

Ends

For further comment contact: Geoff Allen, NZFSA Director of Compliance and Investigation, 04 894 2518 or 029 894 2518.

For further information contact: Miriam Meister, Advisor (Media Communications), 04 894 2528 or 09 894 2528.