An Oxford corner shop has posed a major bacteria and pest risk after leaving produce outside for over an hour.

GG Oriental Snack Shack on Cowley Road serves a variety of Asian food, groceries and snacks to the local community.

The small supermarket was visited by Oxford City Council’s Environmental Health team on Wednesday, January 10 and was branded as requiring ‘major improvement’.

Inspectors handed the business a damning one-out-of-five food hygiene rating as a result of a damning report.

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Oxford Mail: Inside the Cowley Road store.Inside the Cowley Road store. (Image: Newsquest)

The Oxford Mail has now obtained a copy of the full report from that inspection following a Freedom of Information request.

One major issue detailed in the report was the risk of bacteria and pests due to the way in which the produce was being stored.

“The food for sale was being stored at 8.3°c,” read the report.

“To avoid the growth of food poisoning bacteria, high-risk food which requires chilling must be stored at below 8°c.

“At the time of inspection, boxed food was being unpacked in the open yard in order for delivery to the Gloucester Green shop.

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“I was told it is left there for at least an hour before it is moved; this makes the food vulnerable to contamination from pests, dirt and weather.

“This practice must stop. As discussed at the time, the stock room off the yard, or the rear of the shop, should be used for decanting and storing until it can be moved.”

Further issues arose when inspectors uncovered several structural problems with the Cowley Road shop during their visit.

“The bare concrete floor to the rear stock room, off the yard, cannot be adequately cleaned,” continued the report.

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Oxford Mail: GG Oriental Snack Shack is located on Cowley Road.GG Oriental Snack Shack is located on Cowley Road. (Image: Newsquest)

“To allow effective cleaning, a suitable floor covering must be provided to ensure the whole flooring is impervious, non-absorbent and easy to clean.

“The wooden shelves in the stock room are incapable of being thoroughly cleaned.

“To avoid contamination and to allow effective cleaning, any bare wood must be suitably redecorated or replaced.

“Any new surface finish must be non-toxic, protect against contamination and be easy to clean.”

The inspector also discovered staff had not been using soap when using the onsite toilet.

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Oxford Mail: GG Oriental Snack Shack requires 'major improvement'.GG Oriental Snack Shack requires 'major improvement'. (Image: Newsquest)

“There was no soap or hand drying to the staff toilet wash hand basin,” added the report.

“To allow people using the toilet to maintain an adequate standard of personal hygiene, the wash hand basin must be supplied with hot and cold water, soap or detergent and a suitable means of hand drying.”

GG Oriental Snack Shack also has a second Oxford store which is located at Gloucester Green.

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