AN emergency hygiene order has been passed on a butchers' shop after inspectors observed the packaging of raw and ready-to-eat foods together.

Mason's Butchers, in Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, was issued a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice at Poole Magistrates Court yesterday (THURS) to prevent further use of its vacuum packing machine for ready-to-eat foods.

Louise Jones, the council's environmental health manager, has issued a warning to other food businesses in the town.

She said: "We have had a number of businesses carrying out this practice and I would urge businesses to look at their food procedures to ensure that vacuum packing machines are not being used for both raw and ready to eat food in their business as it can pose a serious risk to public health.”

In June last year a prohibition order was passed on Bacon and Cheese deli in Southbourne Grove after inspectors observed raw and cooked food being vacuum packaged using the same device, presenting "an imminent risk of injury to health".

Businesses in Dorset have also been caught out. In March last year The Dorset Smokery in Hurn was found using a vacuum packing machine on both smoked and raw foods.