A Powys butcher was given a zero food hygiene score after mouldy meat carcasses were found on the premises.

Penmincae Welsh Black Beef and Lamb and sister business Nixons Farms Raw Meat Cutting Room, based near Builth Wells, were given a zero rating by inspectors who could not complete a full inspection due to “the immediate and seriousness of issues that were observed”.

The businesses run by Joanne Nixon, Nigel Nixon and James Nixon were slammed in a report for a series of serious food hygiene issues.

Inspectors from the Food Standards Agency observed that some meat at the facility was rotten finding “mouldy meat carcasses” and packs of bacon that were at time of inspection anywhere from two to six weeks past their use by date.

Inspectors said food was at “significant risk of contamination” this was due to potential cross contamination between raw meat and cooked meat at the facility and suspected surfaces wrapping foil and trays were being used in the preparation of both.

They also found raw meat near other food stuffs such as cheese and found “two tubs of apple sauce with a significant amount of blood on the container”.

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Inspectors also found multiple issues involving general cleanliness. This included the entrance to the cutting room floor which was “filthy with mud” and dirty logs on the shelves on the raw meat cutting room.

Inspectors berated the company for this and said: “The whole of the unit and all the equipment within was not clean” and noted that “at the time of my visit there was no water to the small hand wash basin, therefore no facility for washing hands.”

The company’s open catering facility, which was a kitchen and storage in the rear of a lorry, was found “located in a muddy farmyard” and inspectors reminded them that “farm environments contain bacteria such as Ecoli 0157 which can cause serious illness”.

They found that food was “partially uncovered” and was open to wildlife and that “several birds were observed landing in the muddy catering area”.

Inspector also noted that food was stored in inappropriate places such as “potatoes outside on the floor of the yard”, “bread rolls in a horse box which is also used for the movement of live animals” and “chipping equipment located in such a manner that looked like the food was being prepared outdoors in the muddy yard”.

Due to the inspection the site was subject to voluntary closure and the voluntary surrender of all affected food.

Inspectors added: “I am very concerned that the practices seen during my inspection, together with a lack of staff awareness of food safety systems, indicate a lack of management controls over food operations in your business.”

The company was contacted for a response.