A popular Chinese restaurant has been slapped with a one star food hygiene rating after horrified inspectors found 'ideal conditions for food poisoning bacteria' in the kitchen.
Environmental health officers found a catalogue of problems at Sun Ying in Birkenhead including chefs wearing dirty clothes, raw chicken being chopped on the same surface as vegetables, filthy kitchen surfaces and food storage racks.
Chefs told inspectors they regularly left items such as cooked duck and cooked rice out for some six hours at a time.
A report following the environmental health visit said the situation found presented 'ideal conditions for food poisoning bacteria to grow', and that the 'risk of causing food poisoning among customers is high'.
Inspectors also found sweet and sour chicken supposedly being kept 'hot' in the all-you-can-eat buffet area was lukewarm and therefore should have been thrown away.
Several packs of eggs (which appeared to have been purchased at a heavily reduced price) were found to be more than three weeks out of date.
Following the June inspection, the restaurant - which has a 3 out of 5 rating on Tripadvisor - was given the second lowest hygiene rating, and the report says staff's food hygiene awareness was 'inadequate'.
The following standards were recorded:
Hygienic food handling: Improvement necessary
Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building: Generally satisfactory
Management of food safety: Major improvement necessary
Much of the kitchen was covered in dirt and debris, and a discussion with the chef led inspectors to believe cooking aprons were only washed every three days.
Staff had to be told they should use hot soapy water to remove dirt, and the report says they had been 'failing to use' any detergent when cleaning.
Owners of Sun Ying, which is located on Grange Road West, have also been instructed to take steps to prevent pests.
Sun Ying has been approached for comment.
