Council successfully prosecutes local business for serious failing in food hygiene
Buckinghamshire Council has successfully prosecuted a manufacturer of dried and cured meat products whose failings in food safety requirements led to an unsafe product being placed on sale.
Chiltern Artisan Ltd pleaded guilty to the charges of contravening food safety requirements by placing food on the market that is unsafe, when the case came before District Judge Sharma at High Wycombe Magistrates Court on Thursday 3 July 2025.
The court heard that on 25 November 2023, Chiltern Artisan had a stall at the Great Missenden Christmas Evening event. The company had a range of dried meat products available to taste and for purchase including ‘Chiltern Artisan Chilli Sticks’.
Following complaints from members of the public, Buckinghamshire Council’s Environmental Health team submitted a number of Chiltern Artisan products for specialist laboratory analysis. A sample of the Chilli Sticks was found to be unsafe because it was contaminated with E coli (Escherichia coli (STEC) O157).
Chiltern Artisan instigated a recall for all batches of their Chilli Sticks product and the Food Standards Agency circulated a Product Recall Information Notice on the 29 December 2023.
Eating food contaminated with E coli can cause severe stomach pain and bloody diarrhoea. In some cases it can cause Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can cause kidney failure and can be fatal.
During the court proceedings, District Judge Sharma noted that the Chilli Sticks were a new product that had a certain level of risk due to them being a less processed meat. Chiltern Artisan had failed to put in place safe procedures for the manufacture and there had been no microbiological testing of this new process to check it was safe to eat.
A fine of £1,337 was imposed on Chiltern Artisan Ltd and they were ordered to pay Buckinghamshire Council’s full costs of £6,339 and the court surcharge of £544.
Mark Winn, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Homelessness & Regulatory Services said:
“The public expects the highest food safety standards from any business selling or serving food products. Cases like this, while rare, show the real danger that not following the legal requirements can have. Food safety is not optional – it’s a legal and moral responsibility. We will continue to take firm action against businesses that put public health at risk.”