Melbourne catering company sees charges dropped over slug incident
A family-owned catering business in Melbourne which was shut down and accused of having a slug in its kitchen has seen all charges against it dropped by Greater Dandenong Council.
The council accused I Cook Foods of 48 breaches of the Food Act, including one relating to a slug, and closed it down in February claiming it was linked to the listeria-related death of an elderly woman in hospital.
The closure saw 41 people lose their jobs and cost the business $26 million.
The owners of I Cook Foods, which supplies food to Meals on Wheels services, hospitals and nursing homes, have consistently maintained their innocence, saying the slug had been planted in an effort to close them down.
"I Cook Foods has now invested in bringing their premises into compliance with the Food Act and any future operations will be subject to standard monitoring procedures, as would any other business,'' said acting chief executive of the City of Greater Dandenong, Jody Bosman.
"After discussion between the two parties and noting their compliance, Council will not be proceeding with the prosecution of this matter under the Food Act.
"Both parties have agreed to go forward on a mutually non-disparaging basis."
In July, a former health inspector at the council said it appeared council staff were intent on closing the business down.
Documents showed council officers knew within days of the closure in February that levels of listeria found at the factory were within a safe range, but they did not allow I Cook Foods to reopen.
When it was allowed to reopen a month later, I Cook Foods had lost all its clients, with some signing contracts with catering company Community Chef, which was partly owned by the council.
Sheridan Randall, 11th October 2019
