A Chinese restaurant recently awarded a three-out-of-five-food hygiene rating was found to be keeping “raw food” above “ready to eat food”, a Freedom of Information request has found.

Hot Wok in Sonning Common was handed a three star rating after an assessment on June 6 by the Food Standards Agency. 

The restaurant on Wood Lane serves traditional Chinese cuisine such as chow mein, spring rolls and spare ribs.

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However, a FOI request submitted by the Oxford Mail has revealed the restaurant is not equipped with “any suitable disinfectant” to wipe down surfaces and raw food is not stored correctly.

The inspector reported: “There was raw food stored above ready to eat food in your shed fridge.

“Ensure you store raw foods away from ready to eat foods to prevent cross contamination.”

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The owner was also criticised for “storing high risk foods at room temperature during service”.

The inspector wrote: “You must ensure high risk food is stored at room temperature for a maximum of four hours.

“After four hours, it must either be disposed or refrigerated until sold, served or thrown away.”

The inspector found the same containers were being used for “storing both raw and ready to eat foods”.

Starting a colour coding system to help staff identify which containers to use for raw food has been recommended by the inspector. 

The Oxford Mail has made efforts to contact the owner.

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Ed specialises in writing political stories for the Oxford Mail and The Oxford Times. 

He joined in the team in February 2023, after completing a History undergraduate degree at the University of York and studying for his NCTJ diploma in London.

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