Tesco in Aldershot was forced to close its bakery for a day because of the unclean condition it was in.

Environmental Health Services at Rushmoor Borough Council rated the bakery “unsatisfactory” following an inspection carried out on October 29 as a result of a complaint from a customer.

The customer had found a lump of congealed grease inside a loaf of bread baked at the Wellington Avenue store.

The manager at the 24-hour supermarket elected to shut the bakery for “deep cleaning” after officials deemed it to be in a “poor state of cleanliness”.

Colin Alborough, Rushmoor’s environmental health manager, said the bakery remained closed until officials returned the next day.

They noted improved levels of cleanliness but Tesco was ordered to carry out further deep cleaning using a specialist contractor before being given the green light to recommence baking later that day.

In a report summarising officers’ observations, they noted the surface and inside of the bread plant, which consists of a dough divider, conveyor belt, moulding machine, and an intermediary prover, to be in a “filthy” and “disgusting” condition, with congealed grease, pieces of cleaning cloths and food debris on it.

Racking, trolleys, bread trays and tins were coated in baked-on grease, dust, debris, seeds and various pieces of discarded packaging, inspectors said.

At least four trolleys of waste and heaps of unbaked dough were found strewn on cardboard stored next to raw ingredients.

A build-up of flour and rogue pieces of food were found on the underside of dough mixers above the open bowl and insect webbing was found covered in flour, the report claimed.

Food packaging was in a “filthy condition” and there was a general build-up of grease and dirt on the walls, it said.

Inspectors reported that they found grease, food, debris and packaging among various other items had accumulated under the large prover and on the main floor areas by the bread plant equipment.

The council staff also reported a heavy layer of dust on a moth trap and that the surface of the labelling machine was smeared with food.

Various surfaces were found coated in congealed grease and debris indicating an inadequate or poorly implemented cleaning schedules and monitoring procedures, the report concluded.

Paint was flaking off tiled walls and tiles were missing from the ceiling above the oven area, it said.

Bakery staff were also highlighted by inspectors for using dirty cloths and a jet wash to clean bread trays in place of a dishwasher which had been out of action for six months.

Inspectors said a man and woman working at the bakery were wearing “inappropriate jewellery”.

The man wore a large bar in the top of his ear and a necklace with a pendant outside his protective clothing while the woman worker wore a gold loop earring and long gold chain around her neck.

Tesco was ordered to provide staff who were “guessing” the correct ratio of cleaning solution to water with appropriate training.

According to the report, Tesco breached food safety regulations in the bakery in seven main areas.

These were food safety management, dirty premises, poor structure, dirty equipment, defective equipment, food at risk of contamination and food complaint.

As a result of the inspection, the bakery’s Food Hygiene Risk Rating has been moved up from category C to B which means it will be subject to more frequent inspections.

Mr Alborough said the premises will be re-rated following a formal inspection taking place within three months, although officers are free to make unannounced visits at any time. Mr Alborough said: “I can see how a situation such as this could arise where a large amount of grease is used, but it is still very serious.

“It is serious enough for the premises to be rated as unsatisfactory under food safety regulations.”

Tesco has been ordered to put a thorough cleaning schedule in place to keep the bakery clean at all times.

The store was asked to provide its written cleaning instruction and policy, jewellery policy, and any details of similar customer complaints received in the past six months. It has also been asked when the last deep clean was carried out (prior to October 29).

Tesco must also hand over its cardboard and waste policy, copies of the last three months of pest control visits, staff training records and health and safety log books.

Speaking about the inspection, Rushmoor’s cabinet member for safety and regulation, Cllr Steve Masterson said: “This action demonstrates that our officers are prepared to act swiftly and appropriately to deal with unsatisfactory conditions which may pose a threat to public health.

“It is disappointing that this Tesco bakery has been found in this condition and it is entirely appropriate that the public be made aware, through the safe2eat.com website, of the findings of the council’s officers.”

Cllr Masterson said the website was a way to tell people the hygiene status of food businesses in the borough.

He added: “I believe that residents have the right to know what inspecting officers know about the cleanliness of our local food businesses.”

David Nieberg, a spokesman for Tesco, said: “We take the issue of hygiene in our stores very seriously. Our in-store bakery was closed for a few hours due to a minor problem with one of the machines.”

Questioned further on the findings of the health inspector’s report, Mr Nieberg said he had not read it, he did not wish to read it and would not comment further on the steps the store would take to rectify the problems.

He said: “It is not that much of a problem. If it was, we would not be allowed to re-open in a matter of hours.

“When you bake bread there is a lot of grease involved.”