As part of ongoing sampling of takeaway meals, Neath Port Talbot Council has successfully prosecuted a local trader for selling a lamb curry which contained 50% or more of beef.
During December 2018, officers of Neath Port Talbot Council’s Trading Standards team ordered a lamb curry from Pasta & Papadums, of 40, Neath Road Briton Ferry.
On analysis, the meal was found to be mainly beef, with a lamb content of between 10% - 50% detected. At interview, the owner of the business, Balakrishna Reddy Garadannagari blamed his suppliers for the mix up, but could not provide written records for tracing this product back to his suppliers.
At Swansea Magistrates Court on the 28th of January, 2020, Mr Garadannagari, who lived above the business, pleaded guilty to one offence under S.14 (1) of the Food Safety Act 1990 selling food not of the nature demanded and one offence of failing to provide traceability information under Reg4 (c )the General Food Regulations.
Mr Garadannagari was fined £400 with £825 costs and a £40 victim surcharge. The business had ceased trading during the investigation.
A spokesperson for Neath Port Talbot Council’s Trading Standards team said: “Over the last four years year the Trading Standards section has successfully prosecuted a further four takeaways in the County Borough for the same offence.
“The cost of lamb has risen and has become expensive in comparison with other meat. Unscrupulous traders buy the cheaper meat, and try to pass it off as the more expensive products. Food fraud of this kind means that the nefarious trader gets an unfair advantage over their competitors whilst at the same time ripping off consumers.”
If you have any information on any food standards or trading standards issue, please call Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506 for the information to be relayed to Trading Standards.
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Dirwy drom i dêcawê werthodd ‘gyrri cig oen’ oedd bron yn eidion i gyd
Fel rhan o broses barhaus o samplo prydau têcawê, mae Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot wedi erlyn masnachwr lleol y llwyddiannus am werthu cyrri cig oen oedd yn cynnwys 50% neu ragor o gig eidion.
Yn ystod mis Rhagfyr 2018, archebodd swyddogion o dîm Safonau Masnach Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot gyrri cig oen o Pasta & Papadums, 40, Heol Castell-nedd, Llansawel.
Ar ôl ei ddadansoddi, canfuwyd mai cig eidion oedd yn y pryd yn bennaf, gyda rhwng 10% – 50% o gig oen wedi’i ganfod hefyd.
Pan gafodd ei gyfweld, beiodd perchennog y busnes, Balakrishna Reddy Garadannagari, ei gyflenwyr am y dryswch, ond ni allai ddarparu cofnodion ysgrifenedig i gysylltu’r cynnyrch yn ôl at ei gyflenwyr.
Yn Llys Ynadon Abertawe ar 28 Ionawr 2020, plediodd Mr Garadannagari, oedd yn byw uwchlaw’r busnes, yn euog i un drosedd o dan Adran 14 (1) o Ddeddf Diogelwch Bwyd 1990, sef gwerthu bwyd nad yw o’r natur a fynnir, ac un drosedd o fethu â darparu gwybodaeth olrheinio o dan reoliad 4 (c) o’r Rheoliadau Bwyd Cyffredinol.
Rhoddwyd dirwy o £400 i Mr Garadannagari ynghyd â chostau o £825 a gordal dioddefwyr o £40. Roedd y busnes wedi gorffen masnachu yn ystod yr ymchwiliad.
Meddai llefarydd ar ran adran Safonau Masnach Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot: “Dros y pedair blynedd ddiwethaf mae’r adran Safonau Masnach wedi erlyn yn llwyddiannus bedwar busnes têcawê arall yn y Fwrdeistref Sirol am yr un drosedd.
“Mae pris cig oen wedi codi a dod yn fwy drud o’i gymharu â chig arall. Bydd masnachwyr diegwyddor yn prynu’r cig rhatach ac yn ceisio’i gyflwyno’n ffug fel cynnyrch drutach. Mae twyll bwyd o’r math hwn yn golygu bod y masnachwr ysgeler y cael mantais annheg dros gystadleuwr, ac ar yr un pryd mae’n twyllo cwsmeriaid.”
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