The owners of a Tanygroes butchers have each been fined £5,000 after they used the same vacuum packing machine for both raw and cooked meat before sending them for sale in four south Ceredigion shops.

Eifion Wyn Thomas, 34, and 63-year-old Sheena Thomas both appeared before Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court on 4 December.

The court heard that the pair, who operate the butcher business from their home address failed to comply with a string of food hygiene practices.

In September last year, Thomas and Thomas “failed to adequately control the cross-contamination risk in that in that you used the same vacuum packing machine for both raw and ready to eat meats causing a serious risk of contaminating ready to eat meats packed in the machine,” the court heard.

The potentially contaminated meat was then offered for sale at Golwg y Mor butchers in New Quay, Hoffnant Store in Brynhoffnant, Siop Bach in Pontsian, and D Davies & Son in Beulah.

Three unlabelled vacuum packed sliced cooked ham products were put up for sale at Golwg y Mor, the court heard, while the pair also “failed to provide verification records to support the extended shelf life of sliced cooked meats which were sold with a 10 day shelf life.”

The pair also “failed to ensure appropriate shelf life procedures and arrangements for sliced cooked meats on site” and failed to keep adequate records.

The court also heard the pair had produced invoices “where the dates had been intentionally altered”, and failed to produce documents to investigators.

The pair also did not display valid food hygiene rating sticker at the premises in Tanygroes, the court heard.

The pair pleaded guilty to all charges.

Each was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £3,428 and a surcharge to fund victim services of £1,000.