Telford's health protection team carried out tests on pizza cheese
Telford & Wrekin Council’s health protection team’s responsibilities include preventing and detecting unfit and debased food through inspections.
A council’s officials carried out tests into the authenticity of pizza toppings last year, a report to councillors states.
Telford & Wrekin Council’s health protection team’s responsibilities include preventing and detecting unfit and debased food through inspections.
“In 2025/26 the food health and safety team from health protection undertook a project to look at pizza topping authenticity,” reads a report to next week’s meeting of the audit committee.
“Samples of pizza cheese were analysed to see if they matched the label description at premises across the borough.”
The council’s annual corporate and anti-fraud and corruption report adds that all the samples taken “were satisfactory.”
Officials add that fraud can occur in a number of areas that the health protection team covers.
“The prevention and detection of unfit and debased food through inspection, sampling and intelligence is part of the team’s role.
“Members of the public can use an online portal to report any concerns that they may have.
“Fraudulent use of health and identification marks is another area that the team investigate.
“All approved premises within the borough are checked to ensure they are applying the health mark appropriately when they are inspected.
“Inspectors will routinely check for health marks on imported products of animal origin in retail establishments.”
The report due to be presented to next Wednesday’s meeting (May 27, 2026) of the audit committee also includes details of the investigations undertaken to crack down on financial risks faced by the council.