A TAKEAWAY restaurant which sold a doner kebab containing milk to a Trading Standards officer posing as an allergy-sufferer has been slapped with a £12,000 fine.

Officers with Essex County Council’s Trading Standards team visited King Kebab, in Middleborough, Colchester, on two occasions in 2017.

On each visit, a covert officer asked for a lamb doner kebab, making it clear they suffered from a milk allergy.

Tests conducted by an analyst found both kebabs contained milk.

The company which owns the business, Neel Akesh Ltd, was summoned to appear before magistrates charged with failing to comply with food safety and hygiene regulations.

A representative of the company failed to attend Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court and the case was heard in their absence.

Richard Power, prosecuting, said: “We are not seeking to prosecute people or take them to task at the first instance.

“We use our resources to educate and when it’s not taken on board, enforcement action kicks in.

“A milk-free donor kebab was requested and then sent to an analyst.

“It was found to contain 120mg of milk protein and it was concluded that rendered the food unsafe.”

Tests carried out following the second visit and purchase found the lamb meat contained 5.7mg of milk.

Trading Standards officers found there was no allergen training in place and no signs displaying allergy information.

The meat’s packaging was found to clearly identify the meat contained milk.

Mr Power said: “Two grammes of the food supplied would be enough to elicit an adverse reaction, worst case scenario being anaphylactic shock.

“The absolute worst case scenario is that death could ensue from this incident.

“In the adult population, it is estimated one in 200 people suffer from it, while there are ten deaths per year in relation to allergens and 5,000 hospital admissions.”

Magistrates found in favour of the prosecution and ordered the company to pay £12,000 in fines and £1,571 in costs.