KFC feels the heat over hygiene inspection

The Kentucky Fried Chicken group in the UK is facing prosecution, after health inspectors found shocking incidents of poor hygiene in three of its outlets in Britain.

Officials found a cockroach scurrying over counters in the KFC outlet in Leicester Square in London, and a mouse and flies were reportedly found in other outlets.

Inspectors also found black sticky grease on bread roll containers and lacing trays of raw chicken. The inspectors have said they also found dirty cloths being used to wipe areas where food is prepared, in addition to mould and dirt on the floor and walls of the rooms where food is prepared.

Health inspectors also said they discovered 14 bags of rubbish leaking putrid fluid on the floor, inadequate facilities for hand-washing and other transgressions like mayonnaise being stored at temperatures above standard requirements.

KFC has said that as soon as they learned about these transgressions, they took measures to ensure that the restaurants were returned to the normal standards of hygiene, and maintains that strict monitoring is now in place to ensure that the restaurants remain that way.

The fast food organisation is facing a total 13 charges of hygiene misconduct, after the inspection was carried out. KFC has pleaded not guilty to all counts, and the hearing is scheduled for February 2010.