Two food stores in Erith have had imported food seized and destroyed following a court order from Bromley Magistrates.

On September 17 two applications went before the court to condemn food seized from Tropical Foods in Pier Road and Algory Cash and Carry in Erith High Street.

The court imposed a food condemnation order on Tropical Foods for melon seeds and peanuts contaminated with up to four times the legal limit of aflatoxins, and smoked fish with more than 40 times the legal limits of benzo-pyrenes.

And a food condemnation order was imposed on Aglory Cash and Carry for whole melon seeds, ground melon seeds and peanuts contaminated with excessive levels of aflatoxin. The levels detected were up to six times the legal limit.

Aflatoxins are a type of toxin found naturally in some foods that have been linked with cancer when eaten at high levels.

Benzopyrene is a Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) compound which may also be linked to cancer and can contaminate foods during smoking processes and heating and drying processes that allow combustion products to come into direct contact with food.

Bexley Council cabinet member for community safety and leisure Councillor Alex Sawyer said: "Importing and selling dangerous products in Bexley is not something we will tolerate.

"The health and well-being of our residents is a priority for us and we want to make sure businesses like this, have dangerous goods destroyed."

Since April 1 this year Bexley Council has served 171 hygiene improvement notices on 93 separate food businesses.

Coun Sawyer added: "Bexley has always been proud of its tough stance on inspection - we will not compromise on the health of our residents.

"We will continue to focus our efforts on securing compliance in those businesses that have a score of less than three, as well as taking foods - that do not meet safety standards - off the shelves."