A Bentley school lunch and pre-packaged food supplier has been fined $30,000 after a bungled order sent a young girl into anaphylactic shock.
Chef’s Delight is a ready-to-eat food supplier and sushi wholesaler servicing schools including Applecross, City Beach, Mt Claremont and Bicton primary schools, Carey Baptist College’s secondary school and Quintilian School in Mt Claremont. Families register and order directly online for deliveries to the schools.
The City of Canning received a complaint in June 2019 that a primary school girl had ordered a gluten-free ham and cheese toasted sandwich and, after eating part of it, had an anaphylactic reaction requiring her to be taken to hospital.
The bread was later tested and found to contain gluten.
City of Canning Mayor Patrick Hall said environmental health officers investigated and alleged Chef’s Delight supplied a sandwich not of the “nature or substance” ordered, and failed to ensure staff had the necessary skills and knowledge in food safety and hygiene; both offences under the Food Act.
Chef’s Delight pleaded not guilty and the matter went before Perth Magistrates Court in December, but the court found staff had not exercised all due diligence and the company had failed to properly train staff.
The company was contacted for comment.
Chef’s Delight’s website commits to “the highest food safety standard”.
“Chef’s Delight is accredited to the World health Organisation HACCP Standard. All Chef’s Delight processes and products are independently audited, checked daily and can be sold with the absolute confidence that they are prepared to the highest of food safety standards,” it says.
“All Chef’s Delight products are approved Green Light products for every day sale. This means they are produced to the correct weights specified by the Traffic Light system, contain little or no fat and are healthy to serve to your children.”
Source: Brisbane Times
