The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has expressed alarm at the high level of closure orders issued last month, during which inspectors found evidence of mouse droppings, as well as heavy rodent or cockroach activity in some premises.
A total of 21 closure orders were issued in April for breaches of food safety legislation – the most issued in one month for almost five years.
The orders were issued by HSE Environmental Health Officers.
Inspectors found evidence of rodent infestations, “significant” amounts of rodent droppings, and ongoing cockroach infestations on some premises.
It also reported that mouse droppings were found “in multiple food areas” among some inspected premises.
Other reasons for enforcement orders include the sale of food with the claim ‘nut free’ or ‘gluten free’ in a premises that contains tree nuts and peanuts, as well as evidence of altering the ‘use by’ dates and batch numbers on food, and providing false labels on food.
FSAI Chief Executive Pamela Byrne said a lack of adequate procedures to control pests was frequently cited.
“This resulted in evidence of widespread mice and cockroach activity, which leads to a serious risk of food being contaminated and poses a grave and immediate danger to public health,” she said.
She added: “Food businesses must ensure that their food business is properly pest proofed, and that they take effective action if there is a pest infestation. Each month, we issue the list of Enforcement Orders as a deterrent, but it seems that last month, food safety fell off the list of priorities for quite a number of food businesses.
“There are no excuses. Food safety is a legal requirement for all food businesses.”
Among the 21 enforcement orders, 15 were for closure under the FSAI Act. They are listed below.
- Ginger Lillies Chinese Restaurant, 18 Mulgrave Street, Limerick
- Medina Kebab (Lets Eat) (Take away), 329 Blarney Street, Cork
- Georgian Delight (service sector), Kitchen 3, 58-66 Parnell Street, Moore Street Mall, Moore Street, Dublin 1
- Sabor Nordestino (restaurant/café), 58-66 Parnell Street, Moore Street Mall, Moore Street, Dublin 1
- Spicy Bite (restaurant/café), Unit 1, Moore Mall, Moore Street, Dublin 1
- Mroz (retailer), Moore Street Mall, Moore Street, Dublin 1
- Smaczne.Go! (restaurant/café), Moore Street Mall, 58/66 Parnell Street, North City, Dublin 1
- D Candy (retailer), Main Street, Roscommon
- Uptown Restaurant, Old Milk Market Lane, Killarney, Kerry
- Payless Grocery & Meat, 46 Port Road, Letterkenny, Donegal
- Bites By Kwanghi (restaurant/café), Capital Dock, 83 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin 2
- Fresh (restaurant/café), Capital Dock, 4-5 Stephens Walk, Dublin 2
- Musashi Noodles and Sushi (restaurant/café), 15 Capel Street, Dublin 1
- All Bar Chicken (Closed area: the kitchen and storage areas) (restaurant/café), 47 Nassau Street, Dublin 2
- Fortune Terrace (restaurant/café), 46-49 O’Connell Street Upper, Dublin 1
Six closure orders were issued under the EU Food Legislation Regulations. They are listed below.
- Chicking (restaurant/café), Unit 3, O’Boyce’s Corner, Port Road, Letterkenny, Co Donegal
- Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel (Closed areas: the operations from Albert & Behan Kitchen, PJ’s Kitchen and Mapas Kitchen – the serving of beverages from the bar area is not affected by this closure order), Killiney Hill Road, Killiney, Co Dublin
- Café Brazil (retailer), 63 Thomas Street, Dublin 8
- The Ballsy Baker (Closed activity: preparation production and sale of food product with the claim ‘Nut Free’ and ‘Gluten Free’, and internet sites or social media sites it operates promoting and advertising the sale of food with these claims) (retailer), 10 Saint Mochtas Lawn, Clonsilla, Dublin 15
- Oriental Pantry (retailer), 22-23 Moore Street, Dublin 1
- Pastel King (restaurant/café), 22-23 Moore Street, Dublin 1
