FOURTEEN FOOD BUSINESSES received closure orders from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in October. 

The orders were served last month for breaches of food safety legislation, notably the FSAI Act 1998 and European regulations.

The orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) and local authorities. 

For various reasons, 10 closure orders were served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010 on:

• Glyde Fries Takeaway, Main Street, Tallanstown, Louth
• Wisla (retailer), Park Road Business Park, Park Road, Waterford
• Celtic Pure (packaged water), Corcreagh, Shercock PO, Monaghan
• Cloncat Service Station (retailer), (Closed Activity: Using water sourced from the private well supplying the business for 1. drinking; 2. making hot/cold drinks or ice; 3. food preparation i.e. washing, 4. as an ingredient in any food prepared on premises) Fordstown, Navan, Meath
• Hot & Tasty Foodstall (takeaway), Main Road, Ballyforan, Roscommon
• Indian Moon (takeaway), 3A West Douglas, Douglas, Cork
• C&E (retailer), (Closed activity: the sale and supply of fresh fish and crustaceans), 19 Catherine Street, Limerick
• U Pick Store (retailer) Unit 6, Westside Business Centre, Seamus Quirke Road, Galway
• Gabriela’s Tea Room (restaurant), (Closed activity: the manufacture of cakes and confectionery on the premises) Cavan Street, Oldcastle, Meath
• Camden Rotisserie (under appeal) (restaurant – café), 37 Lower Camden Street, Dublin 2

In relation to the U Pick Store, inspectors reported that “two dead rodents (rats) were found in the dry goods storeroom”. 

“An accumulation of rodent droppings” were also noted “throughout the dry goods storeroom”, the inspectors said.

Separately, for other various reasons, four closure order was also served under the FSAI Act 1998 on:

• NKD Pizza (takeaway), 9 Orwell Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6
• The Whole Hoggs (Small Meat Manufacturing Plant), Rathmaiden, Slane, Meath
• Euro Corner (retailer), (Closed area: all of the business except [from 10 October 2019] the grocery in the front of the ground floor, for sales of pre-packed ambient foods only) 13 Broad Street, Waterford City, Waterford
• Instanbel Buffet House, 90-91 Marlborough Street, Dublin 1

In relation to The Whole Hoggs, inspectors reported that “rodent (mouse) faeces were noted throughout the establishment and in particular, under the chest freezer, on the work surface beneath the vacuum packing machine in the production area and inside a cupboard in the production area used for storing food wrapping and packing materials”. 

There was also evidence that “food was exposed to a risk of contamination as a result of rodent (mouse) activity in the production area”. 

A similar situation was found in the Instanbel Buffet House, where inspectors reported that they found “rat droppings behind free standing fridges in the kitchen”, “rat droppings under food preparation table” and “rat droppings on the floor beside deep fat fryer”. 

In relation to pest control, the inspectors found “obvious entry points where rats could gain entry”. 

Commenting today, Dr Pamela Byrne, chief executive of the FSAI, reiterated the need for food businesses to have adequate pest control systems in place and added businesses must operate strict food safety procedures at all times and that they need to be extra vigilant during this busy time of year.

“As in recent months, a high number of the enforcement orders were associated with issues related to pests and failures in basic staff training. These issues are all preventable and food businesses must ensure that they always adhere to a high standard of food safety and hygiene,” Dr Byrne said.

“It is imperative that a proper pest control system is in place and that this is checked very regularly in order to avoid infestations of rodents and insects,” she said. 

Dr Byrne added that with the busy Christmas period approaching, “food businesses much be especially vigilant to ensure compliance with the law and to protect the health of their customers”. 

Full details of the closure orders and improvement orders issued by the FSAI in October can be found here.