A small meat manufacturing plant in Co. Meath was served with a prohibition order by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) during the month of November, the authority has revealed.

The prohibition order was among some 23 enforcement orders served on food businesses last month, according to the state agency.

The meat plant in question, Elita Meats, located in Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath, was served with the order on Monday, November 4; the order was subsequently lifted on Friday, November 22.

Prohibition order

In the prohibition order, the owner of the plant was directed to ensure that all non pre-packaged meat be withdrawn from sale with immediate effect, and destroyed in an appropriate manner.

According to the statement from the FSAI officer, the meat on the premises was processed in an unhygienic processing environment and had therefore been exposed to a serious risk of contamination with pathogenic micro-organisms.

The order said that the following specific matters were noted:
  • Evidence of rodent (rat) activity on the premises;
  • No hot water and no facilities for disinfecting tools such as knives;
  • A poor standard of cleaning and sanitation; and
  • No HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) plan available for the smoking process.

The above matters are contrary to the requirements of Regulation (EC) 852/2004 and Regulation (EC) 853/2004, the enforcement notice said.