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Fitness & Health

10th Jun 2019

Rodent droppings, dirty conditions amongst reasons for food closure orders in Ireland in May

Conor Heneghan

food closures ireland

Seven closure orders and four prohibition orders were served on food businesses in Ireland in May.

Rodent droppings, dirty and unhygienic conditions and a lack of confidence in management’s ability to manage food safety were amongst the reasons for the issuing of 11 enforcement orders on food businesses in Ireland last month.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) reported on Monday that seven Closure Orders and four Prohibition Orders were served on food businesses during the month of May by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) and veterinary inspectors in the local authorities.

The Enforcement Orders were served for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010.

Three Prohibition Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

  • Produced/ located at Peter Stanko Sausages (small meat manufacturing plant), Lisnasarn, Cootehill, Cavan
  • Peter Stanko Sausages (small meat manufacturing plant), Lisnasarn, Cootehill, Cavan
  • Rimantas Meats (small meat manufacturing plant), Site 2, Unit 1, Belturbet Business Park, Creeny, Belturbet, Cavan

One Prohibition Order was served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010 on:

  • Blasta Street Kitchen (manufacturer), Seveagh, Glaslough, Monaghan

Blasta Street Kitchen were issued with directives by an authorised HSE officer to ensure that Blasta Street Kitchen sauces and all other sauces under their control…

(i) were not used for human consumption

(ii) were recalled from sale or distribution (whether or not the food is on sale or being or has been distributed for sale in the State or elsewhere)

(iii) were detained and rendered safe for human consumption by ensuring the labelling of all products complies with Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 on the Provision of Food Information to Consumers or are destroyed in a manner prescribed by and witnessed by the authorised officer

Blasta Street Kitchen have complied with all directives issued above.

Four Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

  • Peter Stanko Sausages (small meat manufacturing plant), Lisnasarn, Cootehill, Cavan
  • M&P Traditional Meat and Food Product operating within the establishment trading as Peter Stanko Sausages (small meat manufacturing plant), Lisnasarn, Cootehill, Cavan
  • Rimantas Meats (small meat manufacturing plant), Site 2, Unit 1, Belturbet Business Park, Creeny, Belturbet, Cavan
  • Garda Recreation Club (Restaurant/Café) (Closed area: All areas related to food and drink), Westmanstown Sports Centre, Westmanstown, Dublin 15 (Order served on 16 May, order lifted on 17 May)

Three Closure Orders were served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010 on:

  • Orient (Restaurant/Café), (Closed activity: all aspects relating to the production, sale and distribution of foods using raw fish and/or acidified rice including sushi, nigiri, maki and sashimi), Unit 1, Castlemill Shopping Centre, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin
  • Pimientos (Restaurant/Café), 10 Trimgate Street, Navan, Meath (Order served on 22 May, order lifted on 24 May)
  • Tim Nessa (Retailer), 18 Davis Street, Limerick (Order served on 14 May, order lifted on 28 May)

As well as the presence of rodent droppings throughout a premises, including kitchen, bar and carvery areas, resulting in a closure order for the Garda Recreation Club in Westmanstown in Dublin, some of the reasons for enforcement orders included a lack of confidence in management’s ability to manage food safety, a sausage production area found to be in a generally dirty and unhygienic condition and chefs who could not tell how long raw fish for sushi had been in a freezer.

Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI, reiterated that some food businesses are failing to adequately train their staff in food safety practices, and this is leading to unhygienic premises which are putting the health of consumers at risk.

“During the month of May, food inspectors detected numerous serious breaches of food safety legislation. It is not acceptable that any staff in food businesses are failing to demonstrate satisfactory food hygiene knowledge and skills,” Byrne said.

“The failure of some food businesses to promote high food safety standards in their premises and among their staff has the potential to cause a serious risk to consumer health, which has been identified in this month’s enforcements. Food businesses must act responsibly to prevent these serious breaches of food legislation.

“The FSAI continues to work with food businesses to ensure that food safety legislation is adhered to and that Ireland’s food industry maintains its reputation as being amongst the safest and highest quality in the world. However, non-compliance of food safety legislation by food businesses will not be tolerated and will be dealt with to the full extent of the law.”

Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website.

Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed on the website for a period of three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with Prohibition Orders being listed for a period of one month.

Topics:

Food,Health