A Southall based import company which sold cheaper quality rice as the more expensive Basmati variety was penalised by more than £11,000 at Ealing Magistrates Court.

When the trade body, the Rice Association, raised concerns about the amount of ordinary rice found in packs being sold as Basmati rice by Purav International Limited, Ealing Council launched an investigation with help from Reading Borough Council.

Food safety officers from Ealing and Reading carried out sample testing on rice supplied by the business to shops and wholesalers in the two boroughs. In one sample there was not a single grain of Basmati rice – which is more expensive variety than other long grain rice – despite it being labelled as such on the packet.

The company, represented by a barrister, pleaded guilty in court on Thursday, 6 February 2014, to four charges of falsely labelling food for sale on behalf of Purav International Limited of Denbigh Road, Southall.

The company was £2,000 for each offence at Ealing Magistrate’s Court and ordered it to pay the council’s costs of £3,630, plus a victim surcharge of £120. This brought the total penalty to £11,750.

Cabinet member for community services and safety, councillor Ranjit Dheer said: "The public should be able to buy food safe in the knowledge that it is the genuine article and not be misled by labelling."

"Our food safety team carries out sample testing to ensure the public are getting what they pay for and also to protect businesses who do comply with the law so that food fraudsters are not given an unfair advantage."