A district council in Norfolk has seized a "significant" amount of unsafe food from local businesses. 

The meat, voluntarily surrendered to Breckland Council's environmental health officers following routine inspections, was found to have been stored inappropriately or, in some cases, past its use-by date.

The seizure is the second-most significant of the year, the other having been imported meat that was potentially infected with Swine Fever.

Councillor Helen Crane said: "We carry out hundreds of routine inspections each year and while instances like this are rare, it does show just how important it is that we help intercept unsafe food from ending up on a resident's plate"

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The Food Standards Agency estimates that around 2.4 million cases of foodborne illness occur every year.

A spokesman for Breckland Council added: "As this is a live enforcement case, we're currently unable to confirm any further details.

"However, we can confirm food safety is subject to national law and potentially could result in the business operator facing a criminal record, fine or even imprisonment."