Three closure orders were served on food businesses during the month of May for breaches of food safety legislation – including one canteen operating in a meat plant, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has confirmed.
The closure orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The three closure orders were served on:
- Kens Oriental Restaurant, 1st Floor, Quintins Way, Pearse Street, Nenagh, Tipperary;
- Factory canteen operated independently by KC Catering at ABP Food Group, Kilbrogan, Bandon, Cork;
- Your Stop NR Farranree (retailer), 6 Popam’s Road, Farranree, Cork.
According to the FSAI, some of the reasons outlined for the closure orders in May were: rodent activity including dead rodents underneath the chest freezer in the food preparation area and underneath a freezer in the storeroom next to the kitchen; rodent droppings in a container in the food preparation area which stored food contact equipment; and evidence of rodent damage to packages of pasta.
Other reasons included: food premises not maintained in a clean and hygienic condition; plumbing issues resulting in damage to the floor and caused pooling of water on the floor; part of the floor was damaged and not in a fit state to be cleaned effectively; and falsified food safety records were identified along with an absence of a food safety management system increasing the risk of food contamination and posing a risk to food safety.
Commenting, Dr. Pamela Byrne, FSAI chief executive, emphasised that all food businesses must take responsibility and commit to ensuring high food safety standards and compliance with food law.
“The food inspectors continue to find unacceptable levels of non-compliance with food safety legislation in some food businesses.
“It is a legal requirement for all food businesses to have their premises protected against pests and kept clean. However, time after time inspectors are finding regular incidents of rodent infestations and filthy premises highlighting a disregard for basic food safety management.
“Consumers have a right to safe food and we would urge anyone who is concerned or suspect there is unusual activity being demonstrated by a food business, that they can contact us via our online complaint form and we will investigate,” Dr. Byrne said.