People were found to be living and sleeping in the food preparation area of a takeaway in Co Meath last month.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) served 10 food businesses with enforcement orders in November.
Six closure orders were served under the FSAI Act 1998 on:
- Golden Dragon Chinese Takeaway, Tralee Road, Killarney, Kerry
- Al Huda Grocery, 72A Summerhill Dublin, Dublin 1
- Macari's (take away), Main Street, Johnstown, Kilkenny
- Harrington's Bakery (Closed area: The bread production unit - The Bread Production
unit is a separate building divided by a yard from the Retail/ Confectionary unit), 5/6 Tallow Street, Youghal, Cork - Unapproved Premises at Rock Road, Rock Road, Blackrock, Louth
- Baker Boys (restaurant/café), 3 Finisklin Road, Finisklin, Sligo
Three closure orders were served under European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
- Achari (restaurant/café), 56-57 The Orchard, Castletroy, Limerick
- Oscars (take away), 17 John Street, Limerick
- Pizza Max (take away), Cavan Street, Oldcastle, Meath
Meanwhile one prohibition order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
- The Bakehouse (bakery), 7 Main Street, Cashel, Tipperary
At the Pizza Max takeaway in Meath, the FSAI said there was evidence that people were living and sleeping in the food preparation area.
This included mattresses, bedding materials and personal hygiene items like toothbrushes and bottles of shampoo in the area.
"The use of a food preparation area for living, sleeping and for personal hygiene activities poses a risk to food safety," it said.
At the Al Huda Grocery retailer in Dublin the FSAI found "an ongoing cockroach infestation in the kitchen, the storage areas and the shop floor."
"Cockroaches of all life cycles were noted in traps. Adult and nymph were noted alive and egg sacks were noted in the side panel of the freezer in the back storage area," it said.
At the Baker Boys in Sligo inspectors found rodent droppings were present throughout the premises.
There were also droppings near open foods, around food contact materials and in areas where food was prepared and served.
There were also gaps evident in the premises enabling pests access to the cavity walls and attic space, and there was a gap at the base of the delivery door.
'Unapproved Premises'
The FSAI said the Unapproved Premises at Rock Road in Co Louth was operating as a meat cutting plant, and producing meat preparations and meat products without approval from the competent authority.
At Harrington's Bakery in Cork five dead mice were noted on a sticky board in the ingredient storage area.
Numerous mice droppings were also noted on high and low-level shelving where food ingredients were stored.
In Oscars takeaway in Limerick the FSAI said foodstuffs were being stored in the rear yard area which was "not pest proof and posed an unacceptable risk of contamination by rodents."
It also said the premises was not being maintained in a clean condition, with the the floor surface in the food preparation area dirty.
"The walls and wash hand basin in the staff toilet were not in a hygienic condition," the FSAI said.
'Risk to public health'
FSAI CEO Dr Pamela Byrne said the findings emphasised the need for all food businesses to take responsibility.
"Food law requires all food businesses to be notified to the relevant competent authority prior to operating," she said.
"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.
"Every food business must have a food safety management system in place to protect consumers’ health and prevent instances, such as those seen in the enforcement orders in November.
"Each business must also have a positive food safety culture embedded within it.
"Failure to comply with basic food safety legal requirements is not only a potential risk to public health, but also a risk to the food business’s reputation if things go wrong," she added.
The enforcement orders were issued by Environmental Health Officers in the HSE and veterinary inspectors in Louth County Council.
