Joe Caruana Curran, managing director of Frozen Foods Ltd was charged in court with using premises in Spencer Hill, Marsa, for food processing that did not conform to health safety standards.

Alistair Lowell, a Health Inspector at the Health Department, told the court that he had inspected the premises in Spencer Hill, Marsa where some packing was allegedly taking place on 29th March. He confirmed that the inspectors had found employees packing frozen beef burgers in cartons in conditions that were not all compliant with health and safety standards.

Mr Lowell said the inspectors had sealed around 33 boxes containing the burgers, adding that these were completely frozen with heaters being used to defrost them. He said that the premises was definitely not up to scratch and the temperature inside was around 18 degrees, which was not the right environment to pack food.

Questioned by Dr Mario de Marco the inspector confirmed that he had not seen any burgers actually being processed but said that even in their packed state, the situation in the premises could lead to contamination as the temperature recorded was not conducive to frozen food storage.

He added that a certain Mr Pace had told him that the burgers had actually been processed sometime in December 2004.

Testifying on behalf of the prosecution, Ruth Curmi Dimech, another health inspector confirmed that she had found employees packing frozen foods in premises in Spencer Hill Marsa where there was a temperature of around 18 degrees.

She explained how temperature changes can cause bacteria to ferment in such foods, adding that in this situation there was a risk of this happening.

The case continues.

Dr Mario de Marco was defence counsel.

Presiding Magistrate: Dr Jacqueline Padovani Grima.