The manager of a Wickford takeaway who did not know there was milk in cheese or eggs in mayonnaise was putting customers at risk, a council report has revealed.

Last month Cosmos Takeaway in Southend Road was rated zero out of five for hygiene by Basildon Council food officers who said ‘urgent improvement’ was necessary.

Cosmos, which serves pizzas, kebabs, fried chicken and chips, was blasted for its management of food safety and staff awareness of allergies, in a report acquired by the Echo through a Freedom of Information request.

Council officers reported the takeaway’s menu contained a statement saying customers should mention allergies to staff, however, when quizzed by officers, the manager did not understand what allergens were in foods.

The report stated: “He was not aware that there were eggs in mayonnaise and burger sauce, he did not know that milk was in cheese, or that gluten was in the pizza bases or pitta bread.

“The consequences of serving food containing an allergen to someone with an allergy could be death, it is serious and staff must be trained in allergen management.”

Some sauces, such as yoghurt and mayonnaise, were stored at temperatures almost three times higher than they should be, while meats such as burgers and kebabs were also not being stored at cold enough temperatures.

The report also noted the potential for cross contamination during food preparation.

“Whilst there was room to use separate areas for preparing raw and ready to eat foods, the same worktop was being used for everything,” council officers wrote.

The report added: “Neither of the wash hand basins had soap, or hygienic hand drying facilities provided. A strainer had been left in the wash hand basin in the kitchen.”

Standards at the takeaway were said to have “deteriorated” since the previous inspection in 2019 when it was rated three out of five, considered ‘generally satisfactory’.

In 2014 and 2017 the restaurant was graded top marks – five out of five or ‘very good’.

Jan Erdinc, deputy manager at Cosmos, said: “It’s all been sorted out and we are waiting to be reinspected and given a new score.

“When the inspectors came there was an issue with the electric and they kept tripping and unfortunately that was on the day they came. But that has all been rewired now.

“I can assure you if it was anything that serious they would have closed us down immediately.”