The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has announced that 16 Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses in July for violations of food safety regulations. These actions were taken in accordance with the FSAI Act, 1998, and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020. The orders were issued by Environmental Health Officers from the Health Service Executive.
Last month, three Closure Orders were issued under the FSAI Act, 1998, and nine under the EU regulations. Additionally, three Prohibition Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998, with one further Prohibition Order under the EU regulations.
The enforcement measures were triggered by a range of serious violations, including:
- Ongoing cockroach infestations, leading to six Closure Orders at one location.
- Live cockroaches discovered in kitchen equipment and traps.
- Rodent droppings, gaps in walls, and a rodent carcass found in a snap trap.
- Inadequate pest control measures and failure to maintain an appropriate food safety culture.
- Food items with expired, missing, or altered use-by dates, unsafe thawing practices, and improper storage temperatures.
- Equipment, such as meat slicers, found congealed with fat and stale food debris.
- Consistent failure to maintain cleanliness standards, including filthy cleaning equipment and cloths.
Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI, emphasised the critical importance of compliance with food safety and hygiene regulations for all food businesses.
She said: "Filthy premises, unsafe food storage, and inadequate pest control measures are the primary reasons behind this month’s Enforcement Orders. These violations show a blatant disregard for food safety requirements and reveal ongoing failures by some businesses to uphold basic, consistent cleaning standards, posing a significant risk to public health.
“Food businesses are legally obligated to ensure the safety of the food they produce, distribute, or sell. This includes maintaining proper storage temperatures, ensuring staff are properly trained, adhering to stringent hygiene practices, and ensuring their premises are fully pest-proofed. Building a strong food safety culture requires continuous and consistent training for all team members."
Environmental Health Officers are actively inspecting food businesses across the country, ensuring strict compliance with food safety regulations. Food business owners are reminded that failure to adhere to these standards not only risks enforcement action but also endangers public health.
If your business requires onsite Food Safety/HACCP training and certification for staff, a tailored Food Safety/HACCP system, or expert advice on food safety, please reach out to SafeHands. You can contact us by phone at 01-7979836 or mobile at 0873823223, email at info@safehands.ie, or visit our website at www.safehands.ie.