Lancashire kebab consumers 'often don't know what they're eating'
Kebabs containing completely different meats to those consumers thought they were getting have been discovered after a probe by trading standards officers in Lancashire.
Two food businesses - which had been warned previously about their practices - have been prosecuted as a result of the findings.
Fuzail Patel pleaded guilty at Lancaster Magistrates Court to two charges relating to meat platters produced by his company, trading as Eat Indian, which is based in the city. It also has branches in Preston and Kendal and traded in Blackpool until that branch closed earlier this summer.
Mr. Patel supplied the platters to a farm shop in Preston, where they were sampled by Lancashire County Council officials in March 2024.
The lamb seekh kebab and chicken seekh kebab within the platters were both found to be identical - and were made up of what was, in actual fact, a mix of lamb, chicken and beef.
Mr. Patel had previously been advised on food labelling requirements. He was also accused of misleading officers, because the platters were labelled with details of his limited company, which had ceased trading two months earlier.
In court, Mr. Patel said he had obtained the pre-made kebabs from a food producer then added his own branded labels - but failed to make his own checks on the content of the products. He was ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge of more than £4,500.
In another recent case, officers took shop manager Waleed Raza and Fazila Wadia - company director of now dissolved company Naafiah Burnley Limited - to Blackburn Magistrates Court for offences at Burnley takeaway Naafiah Grill and Pizza.
They pleaded guilty to supplying mixed lamb and chicken kebabs which actually contained mostly beef - with just some chicken and lamb in it.
They had previously been advised by trading standards following a previous failed sample. They blamed their supplier for a mix-up over the meat they were with which they were provided, but were unable to provide any records or checks.
The court was told that Mrs. Wadia is no longer involved, while Waleed Raza is the company director of a new company that has taken over the takeaway. The court heard steps are now being taken by him to ensure the same issue is not repeated.
Both defendants received a conditional discharge for 12 months, with costs and a victim surcharge to be paid totalling £953.17 each.
Cllr Joshua Roberts, Lancashire County Council's cabinet member for rural affairs, environment, and communities, said: "Thanks to the diligence and hard work of our trading standards officers, firms who have been misleading members of the public have been fined for their blatant disregard for public safety.
"It is vital for businesses to maintain accurate records and comply with food safety regulations.
"Inaccurate meat kebab products have become a national issue for trading standards, which has conducted extensive sampling in recent years to address the problem.
"Consumers often do not know what meat they are eating and, shockingly, those making these products often don't know either. Lancashire residents have the right to know what they are eating, and we will take action against firms who fail to comply."