Giant snails and cow’s hooves on menus poses problems for health inspectors

DISHES such as the Giant African Snail and cow’s hooves have been discovered for sale by health inspectors visiting ethnic food restaurants, a health seminar in Killaloe heard yesterday.

These unusual dishes are creating problems for health inspectors who are unsure whether they could pose potential health risks.

Health inspectors from all over the country were told yesterday that ethnic restaurants and food businesses are being closed down at the rate of one a month due to breaches of food hygiene regulations.

Latest figures estimated there are more than 6,000 ethnic restaurant/food businesses in the country.

The number of ethnic food businesses in the Mid-West has grown from 15 to 118 in the past 20 years.

“This phenomenal growth in ethnic food businesses is proving a huge challenge to the health service,” said James Cahill, senior environmental health officer with the Mid-Western Health Board.

“Ethnic food storage, handling and cooking practices are entirely different to those of Western European cuisine. This presents obvious problems for both the industry and the enforcement authorities.

“There is also a major communications deficit because of language barriers.”

Mr Cahill was speaking at the ‘Ethnic Foods: The World on our Doorstep’ seminar, which continues today, and has been organised by the Mid-Western Health Board.

It is dealing with health and hygiene implications following on the massive growth of ethnic food outlets around the country.

Mr Cahill said inspectors are encountering premises with dishes such as the Giant African Snail or cow’s hooves on the menu, “dishes totally unknown previously.”

The Giant African Snail grows to between four and six inches in length and its mucus has been linked to the spread of meningitis.

There are more than 500 ethnic food workers in the region and most have less than five years experience in the food sector.

“They are generally not familiar with Irish food safety requirements. Many have come from backgrounds of unstructured food safety regulations, sometimes coupled with distrust of officialdom,” said Mr Cahill.

Mr Cahill said that when health officers visit premises language problems can cause barriers to the practical explanation of food hygiene laws.

Speakers from the Irish Refugee Council and Environment Health Service officers from various health boards are taking part in the seminar at the Lakeside Hotel in Killaloe.