Milk and ricotta confiscated

Four crates of milk and one container of ricotta were confiscated yesterday after they were left outside a grocery shop in Marsascala.

The distributor deposited the dairy products outside the shop, which was still closed, and these were taken in by the outlet's owner when he arrived. Dairy products had to be stored at a constant temperature and could not be left outside for any period of time, a health inspectorate spokesman said.

The whole operation, which formed part of a routine check, was observed by members of the Health Inspectorate Services. A spokesman explained that routine checks were carried out in several places where the inspectors would see whether the correct storage procedure of dairy products was being followed.

Both the distributor and the shop owner had been found guilty of a similar offence, that is of not storing dairy products properly, according to the Environmental Health Department. Legal action will again be taken against both.

Since the dairy products were left outside the shop, these were kept outside the permitted temperature zone.

Only last week, the authorities confiscated 200 kilos of locally-produced ricotta that was kept in unacceptable temperatures. The ricotta was being delivered to a manufacturing plant when it was intercepted by health inspectors. It was kept in an unrefrigerated vehicle in temperatures of between 13 and 17°C. Dairy products have to be constantly kept at temperatures below 8°C.

The day before, the department confirmed that tests on three samples of Benna milk found the presence of a slight bacterial contamination. However, the health authorities insisted the levels of the bacteria - Enterobacteriaceae - found in the milk were not harmful.

The tests were carried out after people complained the milk had gone sour before its expiry date.