Examination of food and seizure of unsound food

(1) An authorised officer may at all reasonable times examine any food intended for human consumption which has been sold, or is offered or exposed for sale, or is in the possession of, or has been deposited with or consigned to, any person for the purpose of sale or of preparation for sale and, if it appears to him to be unfit for human consumption, may seize it and remove it in order to have it dealt with by a magistrate. (2) An authorised officer who seizes any food under sub- section (1) shall inform the person in whose possession it was found of his intention to have it dealt with by a magistrate, and any person who under section 12 might be liable to a prosecution in respect of food shall, if he attends before the magistrate upon the application for its condemnation, be entitled to be heard and to call witnesses. (3) If it appears to a magistrate that any food brought before him, whether seized under this section or not, is unfit for human consumption, he shall condemn it and order it to be destroyed, or to be so disposed of as to prevent it from being used for human consumption. (4) If a magistrate refuses to condemn any food seized under this Part by an authorised officer, he shall assess the depreciation in value resulting from its seizure, and the local authority shall pay to the owner of the food the sum of money so assessed as compensation for such depreciation. 26 (5) In this section, “magistrate” includes a justice of the peace.