Eleven enforcement orders served on food businesses in March

Some businesses failed to follow basic food safety legislation and a number of food businesses were found to be unregistered

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today reported that 11 enforcement orders were served on food businesses during the month of 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 Health Service Executive (HSE) and officers of the FSAI.

Four closure orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

• La Punk Beauty Hair Salon, 19 Henry Place, Dublin 1
• Mullingar Farm Meats, Unit 9, Cookstown Business Centre, Cookstown Industrial Estate, Tallaght, Dublin 24
• Mizzoni Pizza Café, 31 Irish Street, Ardee, Louth
• Daisy’s Grill (take away), Callan House, Newtown Avenue, Malahide Road Industrial Park, Dublin 17

Six closure orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

• Portarlington RFC, Lea Road, Portarlington, Laois
• Market Street Foodhalls (Closed activities: activities relating to the production and processing of any products of animal origin), Unit 7G Swords Business Park, Swords, Co. Dublin
• Sparkles Cocktail, 81 River Mill View, Navan, Meath
• Union Café (Closed activities: operations from the kitchen only. The serving of beverages from the bar area is not affected by this closure order), 68 Deerpark Road, Mount Merrion, Co. Dublin
• Sushi Mood (operated from a domestic kitchen), Grange Rath, Drogheda, Meath
• Johnson Best Food African Take Away, 86 Summerhill, Dublin 1

One prohibition order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

• Johnson Best Food African Take Away, 86 Summerhill, Dublin 1

Some of the reasons for the enforcement orders in March include: 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 was observed in the kitchen; a dead rat was spotted in an open drain in the food and packaging store and overall inadequate pest control procedures and preventative measures taken; rodent droppings spotted on premises and on an opened tub of hot chocolate powder; an open container of lettuce was 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.

Also, during the month of March, one prosecution was taken by the HSE in relation to:

• Milne Foods Limited, Syngefield Industrial Estate, Birr, Co. Offaly

Dr Pamela Byrne, chief executive, FSAI, said that in March some businesses failed to follow basic food safety legislation and a number of food businesses were found to be unregistered.

“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. All food businesses must follow food safety regulations and there are no exceptions. If a food business is unsure about their legal requirements, they should consult their Environmental Health Officer, veterinary inspector or contact the FSAI Advice Line.”

Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website. Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed on the website for a period of three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with Prohibition Orders being listed for a period of one mont