Seven Enforcement Orders Served on Food Businesses in June

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has announced that seven Enforcement Orders were issued to food businesses in June due to breaches of food safety legislation, as outlined in the FSAI Act, 1998, and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020. Environmental Health Officers from the Health Service Executive issued these orders.

Among the Enforcement Orders, three Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998, and two Closure Orders under the European Union regulations. Additionally, two Prohibition Orders were served under the European Union regulations.

The reasons for these Enforcement Orders included: discovery of two mouse carcasses under a sink and toilet, significant rodent droppings under a sink, evidence of rat infestation, inadequate pest proofing, flies on cooked chicken, a dead rodent under shop floor pallets, raw meat packaging used for storing cooked chicken pieces, mould on walls and ceilings, food preparation in a kitchen under a Closure Order, inability to trace frozen raw meat, and lack of a food safety culture.

FSAI Chief Executive Dr Pamela Byrne emphasised the importance of food safety, stating: “Consumers have a right to safe food. It is the legal responsibility of food businesses to ensure that the food they sell is safe to eat."

She added: "Food safety legislation protects consumer health and maintains industry standards. We urge food business operators to continually improve their food safety standards through regular training, utilising online resources, and fostering a strong culture of food safety within their businesses.”