The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) served ten enforcement orders last month for numerous infractions including fresh rodent faeces present, filthy production areas brimming with filthy water, and grime-laden walls, appliances and interior surfaces of cooking spaces. Other offences included storing fish and meat, sans identification and labels, in refrigeration units for an unverifiable time period, failure to observe food safety laws, scarce cleaning routines in properties, and inaccurate data on food allergen.
Le Chocolat de Frèd cafe on Lower Georges Street in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, was served with a closure order due to a noted presence of significant rodent faeces, under the FSAI Act, 1998. The inspector identified an immediate and serious risk, with particular attention drawn to faecal matter on the floor, under the pastry counter and inside the casing of the water filtration system.
A further eight closure orders were served in accordance with the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on various venues including Shangri La Asian Cuisine in Cabra, Dublin, due to considerable cross contamination risk; Super Mario’s take away in Tullamore, where a drain was filled with foul water; the Kingdom of Sweets on Westmoreland Street in Dublin found rodent faeces in the basement; Babylon Kebab House in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, and Royal Caterers in Ashbourne, Co Meath, both served for poor hygiene.
The cooking and stock areas at Cork Oriental Supermarket on Dalton’s avenue, Hilan Chinese and Korean BBQ restaurant on Capel Street in Dublin, and Munch Box Restaurant in Drumcondra in Dublin were also enforced with closure orders as per Food Legislation Regulations. Further, a Prohibition Order was also served on Hilan Chinese on Capel Street in Dublin.
According to the chief executive of the FSAI, Dr Pamela Byrne, violations of food safety regulations pose a genuine threat to public health.
Food companies have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of their products for customers. Their negligence towards this obligation is tarnishing the food sector’s overall image and undermining the confidence consumers place in what they eat. According to Environmental Health Officers who assess these organisations, they often encounter instances where the consumer health is being threatened, primarily as a result of non-compliance with sanitation standards, pest control, and food safety training – a situation that is utterly unacceptable.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) website, www.fsai.ie, discloses the names of the food businesses that have received Enforcement Orders. Unless a specific order is lifted, details of closure and improvement orders will be retained on the site for a three-month duration starting from the date a business is deemed to have addressed its food safety issue, while prohibition orders will be listed for a month following the order’s removal.