The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today reported that four Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses during the month of February for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998. The Enforcement Orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) and officers of the FSAI.

Two Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

• Soma (Restaurant/Café), 23 Tuckey Street, Cork
• Twisted Dough Wicklow (Service Sector), Food stall trading at The Crescent Boyle, Roscommon

Two Prohibition Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

• Bally Bia (Manufacturer), Ballydehob Community Hall, Ballydehob, Cork
• Irish Gold Venison Limited (Small Meat Manufacturing Plant), Ballinwillin House, Mitchelstown, Cork

Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in February include: rodent droppings found in a store room (food and non-food), as well as in the vicinity of the service area of a restaurant; immediate risk of cross contamination due to raw chicken being prepared on a folding table beside the coffee machine at a food stall; an absence of running hot and cold water for the washing and disinfection of equipment; foods being processed at an unapproved establishment; and a premises that was not approved for cutting bovine species.

Commenting today, Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI emphasised the importance of all food businesses observing rigorous food hygiene practices and ensuring that their business is notified to the relevant competent authority.

    The Enforcement Orders served in February highlight the need for all food businesses to meet their legal requirements of high standards of food safety, hygiene and pest control to prevent food contamination and protect consumer health. All food businesses must be notified to the relevant competent authority prior to operating. This requirement ensures that food businesses will be registered and/or approved with the appropriate inspection agency to ensure food safety and protect consumer health. Consumers have a right to safe food and food businesses have a legal requirement to ensure that the food they are processing, serving or selling is safe to eat, said Dr Byrne.

Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website. 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.

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