FOUR FOOD BUSINESSES were ordered to close last month, according to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).

Two closure orders were served under the FSAI Act 1998 on:

• The dry goods store of La Cave Restaurant, 28 Anne Street, Dublin 2
• David Kra (Production Unit), Unit 25, Midleton Enterprise Park, Dwyers Road, Midleton, Co Cork.

The closure order for La Cave’s dry goods store noted rat activity in the store “by means of rat droppings on shelves and floors behind fridges and freezers”. Gnaw marks were also spotted alongside a hole in the partition wall “creating pest access into the dry goods store”.

The closure order issued to David Kra outlines how adequate procedures were not in place to control pests, while the structure of the premises was described as “extremely poor”.

Two other closure orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations 2020 on:

• The food preparation area of Mrs Crogh’s Bar, 4 Parnell Street, Thurles, Tipperary.
• Domenico Take Away, Newcastle, Tipperary

In the closure order for the food preparation area of Mrs Crogh’s Bar, it noted an insufficient workspace was available for the preparation, cooking and serving of food. The inspector also found that the construction of the food premises did not allow for adequate pest control.

“The roof consisted of a corrugated material and the walls were timber sheets. Gaps were evident in the roof, in the walls and between the wall and the ground allowing pests easy access to the food preparation areas. Flies were evident in the food preparation area at the time of inspection,” the closure order reads.

It added that food was being prepared, cooked and served in an area where timber was also being chopped with an axe. 

The FSAI inspector note in the closure order for Domenico Take Away, there were inadequate procedures to control pests while the premises was not clean or well maintained and food was “not protected against contamination ”

“Flies were noted throughout the premises including on food contact surfaces and materials. Rodent (mouse faeces) were noted in the room used to store burger buns and a possible pest access point was noted in this area,” it states.

Commenting on the closures, Dr Pamela Byrne, FSAI Chief Executive, said that all food businesses must take their legal responsibility seriously to ensure they protect the health of consumers by complying with food law.

“It is a continuous disappointment that each month food inspectors find serious non-compliances in food businesses that can put consumers’ health at risk,” she said.

Businesses failed to comply with food safety, hygiene and proper food storage and handling standards that are in place to protect consumers’ health. Food businesses also need to ensure that their premises have the right food safety management procedures in place to ensure pest control and best hygiene practice at all times.