Nine food businesses served with food enforcement orders in November

Food businesses across Ireland have been hit with Enforcement Orders in November for everything from cockroach infestation and food workers having to walk through sewage to failing to provide written allergen information to customers.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) reported that eight Closure Orders and one Prohibition Order were served on food businesses during the month of November 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).

Closure Orders were served on four Dublin businesses under the FSAI Act, 1998 – namely Chaska in Custom House Square; Boba Bar in Parnell Street; Greenville Deli on Rathmines Road Lower; and an area of the Wok in Noodle Bar on Stephens Street Lower, all in Dublin.

Further Closure Orders were served under four businesses under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020, relating to Navan Soup Kitchen in Navan; the preparation and sale of sushi and sashimi at Karma in Balbriggan; the kitchen of Mitchell’s Bar in Carrigallen, Leitrim; and Healing With Hemp in Clones (under appeal).

One Prohibition Order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on Greenville Deli in Dublin.

Two prosecutions were taken by the FSAI in relation to Arrabawn Co-Operative Society Limited in Kilconnell, Galway; and the former quality manager of the business trading as Arrabawn, Kilconnell, Galway.

Enforcement

Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in November include: an active cockroach infestation noted beneath food preparation tables and fridges; surfaces throughout the premises were food-stained and dirty; and defective refrigerated units.

In one case, a drain serving the kitchen and associated areas was blocked resulting in staff toilet overflowing sewage onto the floor, foul water was present on kitchen floor which appeared to have emanated from a grease trap; and food workers were seen walking through sewage and foul water, spreading it through the kitchen while food was being prepared.

Other orders were issued because written allergen information was not provided to consumers; procedures to control pests were not in place at time of inspection; and staff had not been provided with appropriate training and/or supervision. In one case,  high risk ready-to-eat foods were not maintained at refrigerated temperatures.

Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI, said this month’s Enforcement Orders included several instances of staff not receiving adequate training in food safety practices, which then resulted in serious breaches of food law.

“Food businesses must ensure they have a strong food safety culture in place, including regular and ongoing training of both full and part-time staff,” she said.

“Food safety culture embeds best practice standards as a top priority in a food business and is reflected in how it does its daily work. Food safety is everyone’s responsibility in a food business and not just the business owner.

“There is a personal responsibility for managers and all employees to comply with food safety law at all times and in particular, ensure that all information and records provided to inspectors are truthful and accurate. There can be zero tolerance for negligent practices that put consumers’ health at risk and the FSAI and food inspectors will use the full powers available to them under food law if a food business is found to be in breach.”

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.