SEVEN FOOD BUSINESSES were hit with closure orders last month for issues including live rodents and dead insects, according to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).
An FSAI spokesperson said it’s disappointing to see such disregard for consumer health in the food businesses.
Four closure orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
Pygmalion Public House on Dublin’s busy South William Street was ordered to close after inspectors found a live rodent and fresh droppings during an inspection of the popular venue late last month.
The report notes that this led to a “serious risk” of food being contaminated with pathogenic bacteria likely to render it unfit for consumption.
The inspector added that there were inadequate procedures in place to control pests.
Go Go Pizza and Kebab was slapped with its closure order after an inspector discovered walls, floors, food and cleaning equipment that were “grease-laden, food encrusted and filthy”.
The report added that there was an infestation of flies on the premises in Wexford and mouse droppings in the food preparation area.
HG Ritchie Limited, which makes Ritchie’s Milky Mints, was issued with a closure order after an inspector found evidence of current internal rodent activity throughout the premises.
The report noted that rodent activity was confirmed at seven monitoring stations. It also listed structural issues with the building including cracked guards on the lozenge and Milky Moo production lines.
The closure order issued for Mart Café in Donegal noted that the premises was not kept clean with accumulations of food debris, grease and encrusted dirt on floor surfaces, wall surfaces and shelving.
There was also no hot water at any of the sinks and no surface cleaning chemicals available on the premises.
Three other closure orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
Sillis Green Veg was ordered to halt the use of sodium metabisulphite in the production of foodstuffs.
Milne Foods Limited was instructed to stop the processing of all ready-to-eat foods on its premises in Birr.
Golden Beach Supermarket was ordered to stop the preparation and serving of food in the ground floor kitchen and service area and the slicing and packing of food in its basement storeroom.
Another prohibition order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
Bullet Duck & Dumpling was instructed to withdraw all food held in its defective cold room, including cooked and raw meat.
The FSAI’s Chief Executive Dr Pamela Byrne said that it is disappointing to see such disregard for consumer health in these food businesses.
“It is simply unacceptable that some food businesses across Ireland continue to operate without fully adhering to food safety and hygiene legislation.
“In particular, multiple occurrences in Enforcement Orders issued in May show a complete lack of adequate procedures in place to control pests. Consumers of food in Ireland have a right to safe food and hygienic food premises,” Byrne said.
“As we move into warmer summer months, it is disappointing to note that some food businesses are also inadequately monitoring their electric fly killers, and in some cases are preparing food directly beneath leading to a risk of possible contamination.
“The health of consumers must never be put at risk, and we urge food businesses not to be so careless,” Byrne added.
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