Living and dead cockroaches scattered throughout a pub and a live rodent spotted running across the floor of a cold room were among the reasons the food safety watchdog issued closure orders last month.
The latest report from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) highlights how environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) and FSAI officers served three closure orders on food businesses in August for breaches of food safety legislation.
Mini India on Dublin’s Westmoreland Street, Bartkus Uncle Meat, which is described as a small meat manufacturing plant, in Canningstown, Co Cavan and Darkey Kelly’s pub on Fishamble Street in Temple Bar were all issued with closure orders.
An inspector who visited Darkey Kelly’s noted “evidence of cockroach activity throughout the bar” including dead cockroaches and live ones seen walking across the floor behind the bar.
The activity was said to be “in close proximity of open ice glasses, keg taps and other beverage equipment”.
The order was served on August 11th and subsequently lifted on August 17th.
In Mini India, meanwhile, inspectors observed rodent droppings in tracking dust beneath food shelves and a fridge storing open food, as well as evidence of rodent gnaw marks on food packaging.
The order was served on August 27th and lifted four days later.
In Bartkus Uncle Meat there was “widespread evidence of dirt, grime, and grease on the walls, floors, ceilings, and food contact surfaces throughout the premises”.
There was also evidence of rodent droppings in the premises and a live rodent ran across the floor of the cold room while the inspectors were on site.
The order was served on August 20th and at the time the FSAI report was issued remained in place.
“It is concerning to see such serious deficiencies in basic food safety controls in these closure orders, particularly the evidence of significant pest activity and poor standards of hygiene and maintenance,” said the FSAI chief executive Greg Dempsey.
“Consumers have a right to safe food,” he continued. “Food businesses must have effective measures in place to prevent pests gaining access to food premises and must maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene at all times.”
There were also four prohibition orders served on Live5D Health in Boyle, Co Roscommon, related to products it was selling, one of which is under appeal.