FSAI issues five Enforcement Orders on food businesses in October
These orders were administered by environmental health officers within the HSE (Photo by Rene Asmussen via Pexels)
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) announced that, in October, five Enforcement Orders were issued to food businesses for violations of food safety laws, in accordance with the FSAI Act, 1998, and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020. These orders were administered by environmental health officers within the HSE.
Two Closure Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
Mizzoni Pizza (take away), 12 Railway Street, Navan, Meath
Seasons Chinese, Bridge Street, Strokestown, Roscommon
Two Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
Base Coffee, The Mart, Newbridge Road, Kilcullen, Kildare
Indian Spices (restaurant/café), 138 Parnell Street, Dublin 1
One Prohibition Order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations 2020 on:
Meghans Café, 8 Cecilia Street, Dublin 2
Several reasons for the Enforcement Orders included: cooking trays not washed after use and congealed with grease and charred food particles; mould growth visible on the internal surfaces of a milkshake blender with a foul odour detected when the lid was removed; the presence of undeclared allergens in food with a potential to cause a life threatening allergic reaction; no evidence of a food safety culture; a drinking water sample taken from the food business indicating contamination of the supply; large open containers of raw chicken left on various surfaces throughout the food premises at room temperature, permitting the growth of bacteria; no hand washing observed during the inspection; filthy premises with dirty cardboard used both as a food contact surface for cooked rice and on the flooring throughout the premises.
Dr Pamela Byrne, chief executive, FSAI, said: “Food businesses must ensure there is a strong food safety culture in place, including adequate training for all staff. This simply must be a top priority for food businesses. Consumers have a right to safe food, and there is a personal responsibility for managers and all employees to comply with food safety legal requirements at all times. Neglecting food safety demonstrates disregard for the well-being of customers and also potentially places their health at an unnecessary risk. There can be zero tolerance for negligent practices that put consumers’ health at risk, and the full powers of food law will be used if a food business is found to be in breach.”
