FSAI serves 11 Enforcement Orders on food businesses in January
Dr Pamela Byrne reiterated that the legal onus is on food businesses to ensure they fully comply with food safety legislation at all times
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) recently reported that 11 Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses during the month of January 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 Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Five Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act 1998, three under EU food regulations (2020), and three Prohibition Orders under the FSAI Act 1998. Additionally, in December 2024, the HSE pursued one prosecution.
Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in January include: active cockroach infestation; rodent activity and rodent droppings; raw fish vacuum packed in the same machine where ready-to-eat foods were vacuum packed with no documented cleaning and disinfection procedure or cleaning schedule in place for the vacuum packer; damp and mould growth; personal items such as shoes, a gazebo and scooter in a food production area; complete lack of cleaning; all surfaces stained and dirty with waste food debris and a build-up of dust; no evidence of a food safety management system in place; a business that had not been approved by a competent authority for the operations taking place; unlabelled food items with no traceability information provided.
Dr Pamela Byrne, chief executive, FSAI, said: “Food businesses have a fundamental legal responsibility to ensure the food they produce is safe to eat. The Enforcement Orders served in January highlight unacceptable breaches of food safety legislation, including inadequate pest control, poor hygiene standards, and a lack of proper food traceability.
“These non-compliances pose a serious risk to consumer health and also undermine confidence in the food industry. It is essential that all food businesses implement and maintain a robust food safety management system to prevent such violations. The law is clear, food safety is not optional, and food businesses that fail to comply will face enforcement action.”
