Eaten in any of these places?
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has reported that 13 Closure Orders and one Prohibition Order were served on food businesses during the month of November for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010.
The Enforcement Orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Eight Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
· The Blue Door (take-away), 59 John Street, Kilkenny
· Delvin Mart (Closed area: Restaurant), Delvin, Westmeath
· Teach Lisa Crèche (Closed area: Kitchen), Newtowncunningham, Donegal
· O’Rourke’s (retailer), 32 Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 8
· Tesco Ireland Limited, Dublin Road, Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim
· O’Briens Gala, Tulla Road, Ennis, Clare
· Everest Express Fish & Chips Takeaway, Tulla Road, Ennis, Clare
· Rice Asian Cuisine (restaurant), 11 Bridge Street, Ardee, Louth
Five Closure Orders were served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010 on:
· Galmere Fresh Foods Limited (Closed activity: Manufacturing of ready to eat products containing fresh basil, not subject to heat treatment, as an ingredient), Ballybrit Upper Industrial Estate, Monivea Road, Galway
· Colours of India (restaurant), Unit 2 Hibernian Way, Mallow, Cork
· Dawat Indian Restaurant, Main Street, Castlebar, Mayo
· Original Curry House (take away), Main Street, Kiltimagh, Mayo
· New World Thai and Chinese Take Away, 275 Glasnevin Avenue, Glasnevin, Dublin 11
One Prohibition Order was served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010 on:
· Galmere Fresh Foods Limited, Ballybrit Upper Industrial Estate, Monivea Road, Galway
During the month of November, one prosecution was taken by the HSE in relation to:
· Cissie’s Farm Shop, Ardnawark, Barnesmore, Donegal Town, Donegal
Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in November include: A significant number of rodent droppings and gnawed foodstuffs and packaging observed in a shop and store indicating a serious rodent infestation in the premises; rodent droppings noted on the lower shelf of the pre-packaged bread display; gnaw marks evident on the packaging of a loaf of bread.
Some of the other reasons include: a number of cockroaches witnessed crawling in food preparation and food storage areas; glue boards in kitchen with multiple dead and live cockroaches; cockroach droppings in food preparation and food storage areas; no hand wash basins; filthy chopping boards in the kitchen engrained with dirt; filthy and worn cleaning equipment being stored in the bin storage area which was also filthy; failure to segregate raw and ready to eat/cooked foods during storage.
To compound matters, these offences also occurred: not declaring nut allergens on the menu; filthy staff uniforms; no hot water, soap, or paper towels provided at wash hand basins; rodent droppings evident in a container storing utensils; refrigerators and freezers showing evidence of rust, mould and dirt.
Dr. Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI has said that food businesses must operate strict food safety procedures at all times and that they need to be extra vigilant during this busy time of year.
“Fourteen Enforcement Orders in one month is an unacceptable number. The reasons for the Enforcement Orders having to be served are all easily preventable in the first place and food businesses should not allow their standards to slip. All food businesses must ensure that they adhere to a high standard of food safety and hygiene at all times.”
She adds: “With the busy Christmas period upon us, food businesses must be especially vigilant to ensure compliance with the law. Special attention should be given to food safety training for both full and part-time staff to cope with any extra demand.”
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.
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