Rodents among reasons for food business closures

A live rodent in an open wall cavity, rodent droppings under a pizza oven, and human excrement overflowing from a workers’ toilet were just some of the reasons that health inspectors closed a number of food businesses in January.

A total of four closure orders were served on food businesses by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) during the month of January for breaches of food safety legislation.

Lamar & Bread Limited (manufacturer), Unit 28, Nordic Enterprise Park, Midleton, Cork was hit with a closure order on January 15 after a live rodent was found in an open section of a cavity wall. Inspectors said this posed a serious risk of contamination with pathogenic bacteria and foreign matter such as rodent droppings.