The Food Safety Authority of Ireland reported that 11 Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses throughout March for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020. The 10 Closure Orders and one Prohibition Order were issued by Environmental Health Officers in the HSE and officers of the FSAI.
Four Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998, while Six Closure Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020.
Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in March included a food business operating from a barber shop with no facilities for maintaining hygiene and protecting the food; unregistered food business; a lack of labelling and traceability information regarding frozen fish heads, cow skin and unidentifiable meat; frozen fish stored in a malfunctioning freezer; a live cockroach infestation in a kitchen; a dead rat in an open drain in the food and packaging store and overall inadequate pest control procedures and preventative measures taken; rodent droppings in a premises and on an opened tub of hot chocolate powder; an open container of lettuce stored directly below an open container of raw fish; no water supply in premises, with no method to wash equipment or food; likely contamination of ready-to-eat food with raw meat; insufficient protection of foodstuffs from contact with toxic materials; inadequate cleaning practices and a lack of hand washing facilities.
FSAI chief executive Dr Pamela Byrne said: “Food law requires all food businesses to be notified to the relevant inspection authority prior to operating. This requirement ensures that food businesses are registered and/or approved to ensure food safety and protect consumer health.
“Maintaining a clean premises that is fit for purpose, managing pest control, properly labelling produce and providing traceability information are also legal and mandatory requirements for all food businesses. Consumers have a right to safe food and the food business owner is legally responsible for ensuring that the food they produce is safe to eat.”
If you require Food Safety/HACCP training for your staff, a Food Safety/HACCP system specifically designed for your food business or Food Safety advice, please contact SafeHands by phone on 01-7979836 or mobile on 0873823223, email info@safehands.ie or visit our website https://www.safehands.ie.