Five food enforcement orders served up
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has reported that four Closure Orders and one Prohibition Order were served on food businesses during the month of August 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) and officers of the FSAI.
Closure orders
Two Closure Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
J2 Sushi & Bento (Closed activities: Part of the activities of the business, its establishments, holdings or other premises be ceased namely the preparation and sale of sushi and sashimi), Swords, Co. Dublin
Hempture and Hempland (All activities of the food business, its establishments, holdings or other premises and the internet sites and social media sites operated by food business be ceased for the purpose of placing food on the market) Abbey Street Upper, Dublin.
Two Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
Johnny’s Grub Hub (Closed area: Food preparation and cooking shed adjacent to food stall situated at Pickardstown, Tramore and Good Coffee Matters Food Stall, Drumkeenan, Tipperary.
Prohibition order
One Prohibition Order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on Heaney Meats Catering Co. Limited, Liosban Industrial Estate, Co. Galway
Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in August include;
No running water to the building that contained the toilets; a dead bird was found in the premises; no controls in place to control the risk associated with storage, preparation and offering for sale of sushi and sashimi; an oven stored on the floor which could cause food contamination; protective clothing was stained and stored unprotected in an open yard area; a derelict building which contained the toilet and storage of some foodstuffs was in an extremely dirty condition, evidenced by filth, grime and general waste throughout; failure to ensure that the competent authority had up-to-date information on the range of activities taking place at the establishment; the placing of unsafe food on the market.
Legal responsibility
Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI, warned that there is a legal responsibility for food businesses to act responsibly and ensure food they provide to customers is safe to eat.
“There is no excuse for behaviour which has the potential to put consumers’ health at risk. We are once again appealing to all food businesses to ensure they are fully compliant with food safety procedures and hygiene legislation. Consumers have a right to safe food and in turn, food businesses have a legal requirement to ensure they provide is safe to eat. All food business owners must ensure that their business is complying with food law at all times,” said Dr Byrne.
Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website at www.fsai.ie. Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed in the enforcement reports 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 month.
