The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has reported that ten Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses during July 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 Enforcement Orders were issued by HSE Environmental Health Officers and officers of the FSAI.
Three Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998; four Closure Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020; one Improvement Order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998; one Prohibition Order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998; one Prohibition Order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020; and there was one prosecution taken by the HSE.
Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in July include: an open bag of cooked chicken was stored adjacent to blood stained boxes of raw chicken; raw pork and chicken was found thawing in the vegetable preparation sinks; rotten meat stored on premises, indicating a breakdown in the cold chain; lack of information relating to meat traceability; foul water had stagnated in an open drain near a drinks service area; lack of effective monitoring procedures for foods stored in the fridge and freezer, with the food handler on site unaware that the cold room wasn’t working properly; significant build-up of mould on surfaces in the cold storage room; medications were stored immediately above ingredients and could fall into food unnoticed; lack of allergen information; heavy cockroach activity in the kitchen near uncovered food; rodent droppings were noted behind a chest freezer, indicating likely pest contamination of foodstuffs; there was no evidence of regular cleaning and staff could not demonstrate safe food handling practices; and an establishment operating without registration or approval.
FSAI chief executive Dr Pamela Byrne said: "Food safety is critical to safeguarding public health. Failures to follow the basics of staff training, regular cleaning and correct storage of food are seen again and again throughout the Enforcement Orders issued in July.
"It is also not acceptable for businesses to store and process meat and poultry without proper registration with the relevant authorities. Unregistered and unauthorised food businesses are a risk to public health, as it is not possible to verify compliance with food law.
"All food businesses, from the established to the newly opened, must fully adhere with food safety regulations at all times. Enforcement action will be taken for transgressions, in the interest of public health protection.”