PAISLEY Two supermarkets at the centre of an outbreak of the deadly E. coli O157 bacterium were told repeatedly to improve food hygiene standards (David Lister writes).

Officials have confirmed that environmental health officers had drawn attention to more than 20 issues at the two Morrisons branches in Paisley during the past three years.

The stores have been blamed for an E. coli outbreak in which Margaret Rowan, 66, from Paisley, died and eight other people have been affected. Sliced cold meats from the delicatessen counters are believed to have been the source of the infection, and have since been withdrawn.

Concerns raised by Renfrewshire Council included poor food handling; the safety of meat pies on display for up to 12 hours at room temperature; the risk of cross-contamination between raw meat and poultry; and opened foodstuffs not being labelled with a use-by sticker.

Morrisons said: “We receive routine assessment of our food preparation areas, and actions arising from the inspection reports are promptly and professionally taken.”

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