Around Ealing Winter 2015-16 | Page 34

FOOD SAFETY Our world of food There is a good chance that when you sit down to tuck into your supermarket-bought, ready-made curry, it will have been prepared in the borough. Gracia Leo reports. I 34 n fact, Ealing can be considered a food manufacturing hub in general, with products made in the borough going all over the country and exported across the world. Some high street food chains have production kitchens in our borough and all kinds of products manufactured here can be found on the shelves in supermarkets across the country – from baklava to sushi. And, with more than 3,000 food ent businesses based in different parts of the borough, a substantial amount of food is also imported into the borough every day. Essentially, it is the council’s food safety team’s role to make sure foods entering and leaving the borough is safe and that labelling iss accurate on what goes out and what comes in. book, but occasionally enforcement action is required. Recent inspections in the borough by council officers resulted in the seizure of illegally imported dairy products from Bahrain; and also jelly confectionary from Bangladesh which was a choking risk because of prohibited gelling agents contained in the ingredients. Councillor Ranjit Dheer, cabinet member for safety, culture and community service said: “The council is services, com committed to supporting food b businesses in the borough and ensuring they are all aware of, and following, the relevant regulations. By working together it helps us to improve p public ͅ