The owner of a Canberra bakery has been fined $19,000 after live cockroaches were found in the food preparation area, which had reportedly not been cleaned for more than a month.
The ACT Magistrates Court heard when a health official inspected Oriental Hot Bake at Hawker shops in May last year, he found both live and dead cockroaches in the food preparation area.
Food was stored uncovered on the floor of the cool room and food waste had accumulated on the floor, on appliances, on a wok burner and on shelves.
The court also heard the equipment to transport cooked pie meat was unclean.
Evidence presented to the court showed some cleaning had not been carried out for more than a month and that it had been two years since pest eradication had occurred.
There was also no soap for handwashing and one handwashing basin had no hot water.
The owner, Vinh Quoc Vinh, 54, pleaded guilty to five breaches of food standards and was fined $19,000 on Tuesday.
In handing down the fine, Special Magistrate Ken Cush was unequivocal about the state of the bakery, describing it as "appalling ... with the potential to harm very many members of the public".
Magistrate Cush said "if food vendors can't meet the regulations, they are in the wrong business".
A statement of facts, tendered to the court, revealed the bakery was issued with a closure notice on May 17 last year in order to comply with the regulations.
On May 26 it was reinspected and failed to meet the requirements.
The next day it was inspected again and was cleared to reopen.
The court heard since the breach the bakery had passed all its inspections.
