THE FOOD SAFETY Authority ordered the closure of three food businesses in March.

Some of the reasons for the closures included a rodent infestation and pest problems. 

The HSE also brought a prosecution against a restaurant over its failure to provide correct allergen advice to a customer. 

Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI, said that “filthy premises, unhygienic practices and poor pest control are all totally unacceptable”.

“This is a time when our health services are under unprecedented pressure due to Covid-19 and it is vital that they are not put under any additional undue pressure resulting from unsafe food practices,” she said. 

Three closure orders were served on:

• Kebabish Tandoori, 39 Clanbrassil Street Lower, Wood Quay, Dublin 8
• Eurospar, Main Street, Kinnegad, Co. Westmeath
• China City, 17 Temple Street, Sligo

In the case of the Kebabish Tandoori, “fresh rodent droppings were present on the floor” in the washing up and food preparation area. 

In the Eurospar, “rodent droppings were visible on the floor in the bakery storage area”, as well as in the bakery kitchen. 

In China City, there was evidence of “rodent infestation” where chest freezers and other foodstuffs were storied. 

The floor in the kitchen was also described as in  “filthy condition”.

One prohibition order was served on:

• Halal Food and Grocery, Unit 6, Trinity Court, Fonthill Road, Dublin 22

Here, minced meat was being incorrectly given up to 26 days shelf-life as a result of re-vacuum packing. This posed a “serious risk to public health,” the FSAI inspector said. 

Two improvement orders were served on:

• Giovanni’s Takeaway, Rampark, Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co. Louth
• Milano’s, 61 Bridge Street, Dundalk, Co. Louth

One prosecution was taken by the HSE in relation to:

• Camile Thai, Block 3, Unit 22, Village Green, Tallaght, Dublin 24

In this case, a €200 fine was imposed after Camile failed to provide correct allergen information to a customer.

“There are also no excuses for food businesses failing to provide accurate written allergen information for their customers,” Byrne said.

“A person should be able to trust that the allergen information they get from a food business is correct and it is up to the food business to ensure that they have the appropriate procedures in place to meet this requirement,” she said.

The full list of enforcement orders can be read here.