NINE food businesses across the country were ordered to close during August due to concerns over public health, it has been revealed.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has confirmed that ten Enforcement Orders were served on businesses for breaches of food safety legislation and EU regulations.
Nine Closure Orders and one Prohibition Order were issued by Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) and officers of the FSAI.
The premises ordered to close are located in Dublin (5), Tipperary (2), Wexford, Meath and Sligo.
According to the FSAI, some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders include: serious flooding in the basement, with damp and mould on the walls; filthy and flooded staff toilets; a defective ice machine leaking down the stairwell into the basement; bags of ice stored in non-food grade plastic bags, risking contamination; bird faeces and dead flies found in multiple locations throughout the premises; evidence of rodent activity in the cold room and freezer room, with inadequate pest control procedures in place; a leaking roof; food stored at unsafe temperatures, with a lack of temperature monitoring records and a failure to provide hot running water at sinks, risking contamination of food and food contact materials.
Other reasons include the sale of unauthorised products; a lack of allergen information (online and onsite) and staff not being effectively trained or supervised with regards to food safety and best practice.
Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI, says the number of Enforcement Orders issued in August is disappointing and she is reminding food businesses that they must operate strict food safety procedures at all times.
Dr Byrne added that businesses should be extra vigilant during periods of warm weather, such as the last few weeks.
“Warmer weather can bring challenges, and both food businesses and staff must be attentive to potential issues, whether this be increased insect activity or issues with temperature controls. Food businesses have a legal requirement to ensure that hot and cold food is prepared with care and then stored appropriately, maintaining the hot or cold chain throughout preparation, storage and point of sale.”
Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders have been published on the FSAI’s website at www.fsai.ie.
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