IF RATS and bugs make you squirm, then you’re probably not cut out for food hygiene inspection. Environmental Health News (Feb 1) says a Barnet council officer helped to jail a shop owner who displayed food gnawed by rodents. Mecca Halal Meat, owned by Sher Mohammed, housed mice, rats and pharaoh’s ants. The least unsavoury of his offences was failing to register his food business with the council. He had failed to improve his pest-ridden shop after a previous inspection. Magistrates imposed a six-month suspended prison sentence and 200 hours of unpaid community work.