AN ACTIVE cockroach infestation, mould, rodent activity and dirty surfaces were just some of the reasons food safety bosses shut down eight businesses across Ireland last month.
The Food Safety Authority confirmed 11 business were served with enforcement orders for breaches of food safety legislation in January – including an iconic Dublin cafe and a popular golf club restaurant.
The Enforcement Orders were issued by Environmental Health Officers in the HSE.
And safety bosses confirmed that some of the reasons for the orders include an active cockroach infestation, rodent activity and rodent droppings.
Bosses shut down one business where raw fish was being vacuum packed in the same machine where ready-to-eat foods were vacuum packed with no documented disinfection procedure.
Other food places were closed over damp and mould growth, a “complete lack of cleaning”, stained surfaces, no evidence of a food safety management system in place and unlabelled food items.
The popular Lismore Golf Club Restaurant, in Lismore Co Waterford, was one of five businesses served with a closure order under the 1998 FSAI Act.
The order was served on January 20 by a safety officer who saw “rat droppings in a kitchen cupboard adjacent to a rat trap” in the restaurant and was lifted by the FSAI 10 days later.
Part of the activities of Bewley’s Cafe on 78/79 Grafton Street in Dublin 2 was closed under European Union Legislation on January 8.
The use of the vacuum packing machine was ordered to be stopped under the legislation.
The iconic cafe opened again after the order was lifted on January 17.
Ella’s Heaven Cafe and Bakery on Talbot Street in Dublin 1 was closed under the 1998 FSAI Act on January 15 after inspectors spotted an “active cockroach infestation” in the building.
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The closure order was lifted on January 22.
Balam Limited on 114 Boyne Road in Dublin Industrial Estate in Glasnevin was closed on January 29 under the same act.
An inspector reported that there was a “grave and immediate danger to the public” due to issues such as a “significant risk of cross contamination”, a failure to maintain the premises in a clean condition, and inadequate procedures to prevent pests.
The closure order has not yet been lifted.
The Turk Grill Take Away on 23 Grattan Street in Sligo was also served with a closure order because the “operational practices were such that they could result in a serious risk of food poisoning”
It was issued on January 16 before being lifted at the end of the month.
PUB AREA CLOSED
The external drinks area at Miner’s Rest Public House in Ballingary, Tipperary was closed under the same order on January 14 and reopened again on January 17.
It was also served with a prohibition order on the same date after rodent faeces were observed on the floor of the external drinks storage room in close proximity to opened boxes of alcoholic drinks.
Part of the Xpress Pantry, located in Unit 9, of Dunshaughlin Business Park in Meath, was also issued with a closure order on January 23. It has not yet been lifted.
The business was ordered to cease the manufacture and wholesale of foods of animal origin because it had not been approved by a competent authority to do so.
Indian Tiffins Restaurant, on 143 Parnell Street in Dublin 1, was issued with a closure order on January 22 and saw it listed just over a week later on January 30.
A report stated: “There was no evidence that the management system for food safety, which had been in place previously, had
been fully implemented and maintained.”
‘SERIOUS RISK TO CONSUMER HEALTH’
La Citadel in Unit 4 of Glebeview House in River Mall, Swords and M Tee Ventures in Unit 1 of Glebview House were slapped with prohibition orders orders on the same date.
The orders were served on January 8 and have not yet been lifted.
At La Citadel, prohibition orders were placed on around 800 containers of food due to a lack of traceability information, as well as a lack of information on how the food was prepared.
While at M Tee Ventures, prohibition orders were put on 22 boxes of food, also due to a lack of traceability information and information on how the food was prepared.
Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI, said food businesses have a “fundamental” legal responsibility to ensure the food they produce is safe to eat.
‘UNACCEPTABLE BREACHES’
The food safety bosses said: “The Enforcement Orders served in January highlight unacceptable breaches of food safety legislation, including inadequate pest control, poor hygiene standards, and a lack of proper food traceability.
“These non-compliances pose a serious risk to consumer health and also undermine confidence in the food industry.
“It is essential that all food businesses implement and maintain a robust food safety management system to prevent such violations.
“The law is clear, food safety is not optional, and food businesses that fail to comply will face enforcement action.”
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The Food Safety Authority confirmed 11 business were served with enforcement orders for breaches of food safety legislation in JanuaryCredit: Getty Images – Getty
