Southern Restaurants (Vic) Pty Ltd, which owns and runs 39 KFC stores in Victoria, pleaded guilty to the breaches, which occurred at Fountain Gate, Narre Warren, Lynbrook, Cranbourne, Hallam and Endeavour Hills between 2007 and 2009.

The breaches included raw chicken on the floor, blood on the floor, dirty equipment and floors, clogged drains in the washing area and failure to provide soap at a handwash basin.

Casey's community safety manager Carole Bell said the Dandenong Magistrate Court's ruling on "serious breaches" of the Food Act was an example to other food premises. "When there are serious and/or ongoing breaches of the act, and the council is unable to obtain compliance, we will not hesitate to prosecute a business or individual," she said.

Southern Restaurants was also ordered to pay $56,708 in costs, al though its fine was discounted $50,000 for pleading guilty.

KFC Australia general manager Lorna Raine said that in response to the "disappointing lapse", an independent review was conducted by public health adviser Dr Jim Smith into Southern's stores. As a result, extra cleaners were hired, staff were retrained and "monitoring processes and outcomes" were improved, she said.

KFC Australia stated that no customer was harmed as a result of the breaches.