Sharp rise in health breaches at Irish food businesses 'should not be happening' - FSAI

The number of enforcement orders served on Irish food businesses in 2022 has increased significantly compared to the year prior. 

That's according to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), which today (January 10) revealed that a total of 77 businesses received enforcement orders last year, marking a rise of 31% compared to the 59 businesses served in 2021. 

The increase follows almost a full year of normal food business operations following the lifting of remaining Covid-19 restrictions at the beginning of the year. 

Between January 1 and December 31, 2022, 65 Closure Orders and 12 Prohibition Orders were issued by Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE), sea-fisheries protection officers in the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and officers of the FSAI. 

Some of the reasons for Closure Orders issued in December include the storing of uncovered animal (meat) waste in an open bin outside a premises within easy access of vermin and pests; as well as the presence of rodent droppings on packets of foods on sale to the public and in an area where foods were re-packed for sale. 

Chief Executive of the FSAI, Dr Pamela Byrne, hoped to see a reduction in the number of Enforcement Orders and called the food law breaches "disappointing". 

She said, "Through the hard work of our partner agencies and food inspectors in 2022, food businesses that disregarded the law and put consumer health at risk were stopped. However, this should not be happening. Enforcement Orders are served on food businesses only when a risk to consumer health has been identified or where there are a number of ongoing breaches of food legislation.

"Food businesses should not be falling short on their legal requirements. They should adhere to food safety regulations at all times. It is disappointing that month after month, food inspectors find similar, basic and fundamental breaches of food law”.

The FSAI also reported that six Closure Orders were served on food businesses during the month of December 2022 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. 

Four Closure Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on Ballaghaderreen Grocery Store, Charlestown Road, Ballaghaderreen, Roscommon; Hole in the Wall (Closed area: the kitchen, side preparation areas and storage shed), Blackhorse Avenue, Cabra, Dublin 7; Casey's Pub (Closed area: kitchen, the store room off the kitchen and the part of the keg / bottle store room used for food production activities; a table with fryers and soup tureen), Raheenagh, Limerick; and The Cosy Corner Outside Catering (Closed Area: Manufacture and distribution of filled baguettes, sandwiches and wraps for distribution to other premises), The Cosy Corner, Crossroads, Killygordon, Lifford, Donegal. 

Two Closure Orders were also served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on The African Shop/Costello Stores, 87 Shandon Street, Cork; and RBK Poultry Limited, Unit E4, Chapelizod Industrial Estate, Chapelizod Road, Dublin 10. 

According to the FSAI, an establishment stored meat considered unfit for human consumption due to putrefaction, foreign body contamination and poor storage conditions; an unregistered meat food business was operating with no food safety procedures or records to fulfil meat traceability requirements; and a freezer room had been switched off, leading to an interruption to the cold chain with frozen meat haphazardly stored alongside frozen animal by-product waste. 

Previous inspection notes such as improving hygiene and cleaning practices were not followed; growth visible within a freezer storing baguettes; and food workers were not wearing protective clothing when preparing sandwiches, baguettes and wraps.  

The FSAI is also publishing today the details of one Closure Order served by the HSE in November 2022 under the FSAI Act, 1998. The Closure Order had been subject to an appeal, which was subsequently withdrawn. The Closure Order was served on Brambles Deli Café Limited, Wells House and Gardens, Wells, Gorey, Co. Wexford. 

In addition, eight Prohibition Orders were served by the HSE in July 2022 under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020. 

The Prohibition Orders - related to the placing on the market of unauthorised novel foods (CBD products) - had been subject to an appeal, which was subsequently withdrawn. 

They were served to Holland and Barrett, Units 5 & 6, Cedar Drive, Dublin Airport Logistics Park, Saint Margarets Road, Saint Margarets, County Dublin.