Cork supermarket ordered to close kitchen and kitchen storage area by Food Safety Authority

A CORK supermarket was ordered by the HSE to close their kitchen and kitchen storage area last month.

These parts of the premises at Cork Oriental Supermarket on 13 Dalton's Avenue were among Eight Closure Orders served in the month of March under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020, the Food Safety Authority (FSAI) has reported.

The order was enforced on March 22 and lifted on March 28. 

The enforcement order was served on the kitchen and kitchen storage area, with the closure order saying that these parts of the premises were to be closed with immediate effect until either an order to contrary effect by a Court of competent jurisdiction, or further written direction by the HSE.

The order notes that an accumulation of burnt food debris and grease was noted behind the cooking station, on the floor and surrounding pipes in the kitchen area, and that food spillages and grease were found on shelving throughout the kitchen area.

“The floor throughout the kitchen area was unclean with dirt and grease noted at edging of walls, underneath equipment and tables and behind chest freezers,” it said.

Additionally, food contact equipment including utensils and containers were “encrusted with dried food debris”, the walk in cold room and freezer were in an unclean condition, and walls in the preparation area were unclean, with a “thick layer of dust”.

Touch points including door handles and switches in the kitchen were sticky to touch, there was no evidence of a documented food safety management system in place for the business, and monitoring procedures at critical control points had not been established or implemented.

Overall the closure order stated, “Management have failed to ensure that the premises is maintained in a clean and hygienic manner as evidenced by the lack of adequate cleaning throughout the food preparation and storage areas.

“This was identified during previous inspections and you have failed to maintain consistent cleaning standards at your premises,” the closure order said, adding that evidence of non-compliances had been brought to their attention four times in 2023.

Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI, said “Consumers have a right to safe food and this legal obligation sits with the food business operators.

“These food businesses are damaging the reputation of the food industry as a whole and can impact the trust that consumers have in the food they eat.” 

The FSAI also announced that it is hosting a ‘Breakfast Bite’ free webinar on 25 April, which will look at food safety training requirements and will provide tips and ideas on how food businesses can meet their food safety training needs.