AHS rescinds closure orders from 2 of 3 Calgary businesses in uninspected meat dispute

Bangla Bazaar – Butcher Shop, Bombay Meat Masala and Samosa Factory and Glassy Junction/Bikaner Sweethouse and Restaurant were each ordered to close on Oct. 3, 2024 due to evidence of uninspected meat. The closure order for Bangla Bazar was rescinded Friday, Oct.4. (CTV News)

Two of three Calgary businesses that were ordered to shut down after inspectors discovered evidence of uninspected meat have had their closure orders rescinded by Alberta Health Services (AHS).

According to the original  closure orders, Bangla Bazaar – Butcher Shop, Bombay Meat Masala and Samosa Factory and Glassy Junction/Bikaner Sweethouse and Restaurant were each ordered to close on Thursday.

An AHS spokesperson confirmed Saturday that the closure orders for Bangla Bazaar and Bombay Meat Masala and Samosa Factory have both been rescinded.

At each business, inspectors found evidence that uninspected meat had been purchased or sold at the location.

The owners were ordered to close immediately and take action to improve upon the noted health and safety breaches, including providing AHS with evidence that "all prepared, processed and displayed food is from an approved source and provide a list of all food suppliers," and "a copy of all the receipts/invoices for all meat products from the past three months."

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They also were ordered to clean and sanitize all food contact surfaces and equipment in the facility, among other conditions.

At Bangla Bazaar, located at 125 - 4851 Westwinds Dr. N.E., inspectors observed evidence of uncovered meat stored on the floor of the walk-in cooler and blood stains on the walk-in cooler floors and walls.

They also saw cleaning cloths sitting on food contact surfaces and noted that the food surface sanitizer concentration was 0 ppm.

Safath Al Sunny, a spokesperson for Bangla Bazar Supermarket, said in a Saturday interview that the dispute with AHS arose out of six lamb carcasses that had blurred stamps out of 15 purchased from an authorized Alberta supplier, resulting in an immediate closure order for the meat department.

Ultimately, Al Sunny said, an inspector from Alberta Agriculture verified the source of the carcasses and AHS rescinded the closure order Friday afternoon.

At Glassy Junction/ Bikaner Sweethouse and Restaurant, located at 1142, 1146 - 4310 104 Ave N.E., inspectors also noticed several other health and safety concerns including a significant mouse infestation.

"Mouse droppings were observed in the following areas including but not limited to: In the back of the kitchen under the equipment and food storage shelves, under the ladder leading to the upstairs, on top of dry food storage containers, on the floor in the upstairs storage room, in boxes containing dishes and utensils located on the second floor, and in cupboards in the front bar area," the closure order reads.

Saturday, AHS issued the following statement:

• To protect the health and well-being of the public, AHS issued closure orders to three Calgary commercial food facilities for evidence of uninspected meat onsite.
• Two of the facilities – Bangla Bazaar Butcher Shop and Bombay Meat Masala & Samosa Company – have since complied with the order and have been allowed to reopen.
• There is a serious health risk associated with consuming uninspected meats.
• The presence of uninspected meats within a facility also poses risk through potential cross-contamination of other foods via food processing surfaces and equipment throughout the facilities.
• There have been no reported illnesses linked to this investigation to date.

The business owners each have the right to appeal the AHS decision.

A staff member for Bombay Meat Masala and Samosa Factory who answered the phone Saturday said the store was open, but couldn't provide comment to CTV.

RCMP confirmed the livestock unit is not investigating the closures.

CTV News has reached out to Glassy Junction/Bikaner Sweethouse  for comment.