The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has issued a prohibition order to a meat firm in Co. Mayo during September.

The prohibition order was among 11 enforcement orders served on food businesses by the authority in the month of September. The other 10 orders were closure orders issued to various food firms.

The prohibition order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998, on MJI Meats 2595 – a small meat manufacturing plant – based in Unit 6, Enterprise Centre, Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo.

The FSAI issued the order on Tuesday, September 24, directing that re-minced food detained by a Mayo County Council veterinary inspector in a large freezer be withdrawn from sale with immediate effect.

This order, in conjunction with Mayo County Council, directed the owner of the premises to ensure that the food is not used for human consumption.

In terms of reasons given for making the order, the FSAI pointed to the “thawing, re-mincing and reprocessing frozen mincemeat, some of which had gone for an extended period beyond its best before expiry date”.

“This activity, which is not documented in the establishment’s HACCP-based procedures, broke the cold-chain for frozen minced meat.

In addition the mincing process increases the temperature of the re-minced meat which could potentially facilitate the growth of both spoilage and pathogenic organisms.

“No evidence was provided to support any valid shelf-life for this thawed and re-minced minced meat,” according to the order.

Meanwhile, a closure order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998, on a butcher shop, namely: Noor Foods of 10 Church Street, Dundalk, Co. Louth.

Issued to Pak Afro Traders Ltd trading as Noor Foods, the closure order, issued on September 19, noted:

“A grave and immediate danger was found,” according to the notice, adding “evidence of rodent activity was found throughout the premises, including food handling and storage areas, posing a risk of contamination to food, food preparation surfaces, equipment and utensils”.