A food factory worker spat in Nando’s sauce tubs and contaminated hummus dips with ring pulls and rubber gloves, a court heard.

Garry Jones, 38, is accused of spiking containers of sauces and dips while working on the production line. A court heard he deliberately added fish sauce to non-fish dressings and contaminated others with sesame and chilli sauce.

Jones tampered with the sauces while working at Harvey & Brockless Fine Food Company in Evesham, Worcs., the court heard.

The charge reads: “Between October 1, 2022, and November 1, 2022, with intent to cause public alarm or injury to members of the public – contaminated or interfered with goods.

“Namely 24 hummus tubs with rubber gloves, plastic bags and metal ring pulls; metal ring pulls in tubs of sesame and ginger dressing, sesame miso dressing and Vietnamese chilli and ginger dressing; and poured fish sauce into dressings which should not contain fish.”

Mark Hambling, prosecuting, said Jones was involved in the production of the tubs of sauces and dips at the firm which were then distributed to restaurants nationwide including the Nando’s group.

He said: “Tubs began being returned to the company as contaminated, leading the firm to investigate.”

He added that restaurants, where the product was later served, would say “does not contain fish” on their menus – so it would be potentially deadly if consumed by someone with an intolerance.

Mr Hambling said on one occasion Jones had been caught on CCTV poking a hole in a plastic container which he then spat into.

Jones also faces a charge of burglary with intent to steal from the home of a co-worker. Mark Turnbull, defending, described the charges as “unusual”, as they were ones he had never seen before.

Jones, of Evesham, entered no plea to a charge of contaminating/interfering with goods with intent.

He was given conditional bail and ordered to attend Worcester Crown Court on Jul 12.