Rodent infestation and inadequate cleaning: FSAI shuts down five food businesses

Eva Osborne

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) served five closure orders on food businesses last month for breaches of food safety legislation, including active rodent infestations and inadequate cleaning.

The affected food businesses are located in Cork, Waterford, and Dublin.

They are:

• Lily House, 4 South Square, Rosscarbery, Cork;
• CraftCup Limited, Unit 67B Heather Road, Sandyford Business Park, Sandyford, Dublin 18;
• Yama, 97 Gerald Griffin Street, Blackpool, Cork;
• Empoli Restaurant, Unit 24, The Plaza, Main Street, Swords, Dublin;
• Doolys Fish and Chips, Waterford & Tramore Racecourse, Crobally Upper, Tramore, Waterford.

The latter's closed activity is the manufacture and wholesale of foods of animal origin and subsequent placing on the market.

The FSAI said some the reasons for the enforcement orders in April are:

• Active rodent infestation in food storage and kitchen areas, rodent droppings beside shelving units used to store food;
• Cobwebs and spider egg sacs in food preparation areas;
• Use of an unapproved establishment;
• Inaccurate declaration of food allergens, insufficient traceability information;
• No food safety management system or procedures in place;
• Inadequate cleaning and disinfection procedures in place;
• Mould growth and dampness on staff toilet walls;
• Inadequate cleaning of equipment, utensils and food premises;
• No monitoring records for reheating high-risk foods such as chicken, staff handling food without demonstrating safe food handling practices.

FSAI chief executive, Greg Dempsey, reminded food businesses of the importance of always maintaining robust food safety standards.

“Every food business must have effective food safety management systems in place to ensure that food is stored, prepared and served safely.

"Cleanliness, pest control, proper staff training and food traceability are fundamental requirements and are essential to protecting public health.

"Consumers have a right to safe food and food businesses have a legal responsibility to ensure the food they provide to consumers is safe to eat.”

Dempsey said the FSAI strongly encourages food businesses to "continuously improve their food safety standards" via regular training.