Helsinki court fines Heikki Hursti €1,500 for food safety violation

A Helsinki district court has imposed a fine on Heikki Hursti for a food safety violation, amounting to €1,500 based on 25 daily fines. The court dismissed charges related to health crimes. It found that Hursti, as the responsible representative of the Veikko and Lahja Hursti Association for Charitable Work, failed to comply with food safety laws and regulations in April 2022.

Specifically, the court determined that Hursti did not exercise adequate care in handling food requiring cold storage at a warehouse on Raittitien. The facility lacked sufficient cold storage space, leading to a situation where products requiring refrigeration were only stored temporarily while being packed into bags. This arrangement was necessary as the main facility was under renovation.

During inspections, it was noted that the cold chain was broken for sausages and frozen minced meat patties during packaging. However, inspectors deemed it unnecessary to halt the distribution of the food items. The court clarified that no concrete harm resulted from the actions.

In determining the penalty, the court considered that the violation was of a short-term and temporary nature, lasting just under three weeks in April 2022. The court also found no evidence that Hursti displayed negligence regarding the food safety of the donated food packages. It was noted that he took immediate corrective measures following the food safety inspection and treated the issues seriously.