The ACT Magistrates Court heard the owners of the Asian Delights bakery had since spent $120,000 on renovations and the kitchen had been thoroughly cleaned in the meantime.

The company, Asian Delight Bakery Pty Ltd, pleaded guilty to six charges relating to breaches of food safety regulations.

Inspectors who went to the bakery on March 31 last year found accumulated grease, dirt, flour and oil built up on surfaces and equipment.

They also found batches of pies that had been sitting out for more than the safe limit of six hours.

The court heard the bakery was a small operation run by a husband and wife who worked from 4am to 9pm between them and supported two children and an elderly mother.

On the day of the inspection, the couple had suffered a health scare on the part of the elderly mother.

They had also been without their assistant baker, who had worked only part of his shift before leaving for a medical appointment.

The bakery had passed all inspections before the incident that led to charges and the owners were doing their best to protect the health of their customers.

But the prosecution said there was a "cocktail of dirt and food" ingrained on the equipment and work surfaces which was more than the accumulation of a day's or week's baking.

Magistrate Bernadette Boss took into account the fact that the business was "relatively hand to mouth" and there were children and an elderly person dependent on the income from the bakery.

She said it was to the credit of the owners that the bakery had been completely revamped but said there had been a serious risk to public health in the way the bakery was set up.

She imposed convictions and fined the company a total of $12,000.