Two Closure Orders served on food businesses in April – Millfield Service Station and an unregistered business in Dublin

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has reported that two Closure Orders were served on food businesses during April 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 Closure Orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) and officers of the FSAI.

One Closure Order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on Millfield Service Station, Old Mallow Road, Cork. Another Closure Order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on an unregistered food business at 2 Brownsbarn Wood, Kingswood Cross, Dublin 22

During the month of April, one Prosecution was taken by the HSE in relation to the Spoonful Food Company Limited, Carrickanane, Tullyallen, Co. Louth

Reasons

Some of the reasons for the Closure Orders in April include; evidence of rodent activity including droppings on shelving, in storage units for dried goods and behind the shop counter on the floor; no food safety management procedures or associated monitoring records; lack of allergen information for consumers; water leaking from an upstairs bathroom in a domestic dwelling onto the kitchen ceiling above the kitchen island unit where foods were prepared; and the operation of a food business without registration or approval.

Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI, highlights particular concern that this month’s Enforcement Orders included a Closure Order for an unregistered food business.

Right to safe food

“The operation of any unregistered food business will not be tolerated, and the full power of the law will be used to stop these food businesses from putting consumers’ health at risk. It is the responsibility of all food business owners to ensure that their food business is registered and operating in line with the legal requirements under food law.  Consumers have a right to safe food and we would urge anyone who is concerned or suspect there is unusual activity being demonstrated by a food business, that they can contact us via our online complaint form at https://www.fsai.ie/makeitbetter/ and we will investigate,” 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 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.