Rodent infestations and hygiene failures force closure of seven food businesses, says FSAI

Inspectors found a dead rat in a rat trap and numerous rat droppings behind a washing machine. File picture

A rodent “infestation”, live mice in a warehouse, and staff unfamiliar with the contents of “any food safety management procedure” were among the reasons why food businesses were ordered to close by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in March.

The FSAI served seven closure orders to food businesses last month, five under the FSAI Act, 1998, and two under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020.

On March 26, inspectors served a closure order, under the FSAI Act of 1998, on China Palace, of 11 Main Street, Roscommon, after FSAI inspectors found evidence of "a rodent infestation in a room which houses the staff toilet, staff storage facilities and laundry facilities". 

Inspectors also found a dead rat in a rat trap and numerous rat droppings behind a washing machine on the premises. The order was lifted on April 1.

During an inspection of Stela Foods, located at Unit 2 of Greenhills Business Park in Drogheda on March 19, inspectors say they found "no evidence of any measures in place to control pests", dead and live mice on the warehouse floor, and rodent droppings "throughout the warehouse, on equipment used to decant and repackage food, on machinery, in silos and hoppers with food in them, and on food situated on racking in the warehouse and on food packaging". 

The business was served with a closure order on the same date, and the order is still in place, according to the FSAI.

On March 13, HSE inspectors also served a closure order on a Stela Foods premises Stela Food Stores located at Unit 8, Ringwood Centre, Damastown Close, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15, though three 40-foot fixed containers and one 40-foot container attached to mobile trailer outside the building were excluded. That closure order also remains in place.

Under the FSAI Act of 1998, closure orders were also issued to:

• Yomari Foods Ltd of Main Street in Boyle, Roscommon - the order was issued on March 19 and lifted two days later on March 21;
• And Republic of Grill located at Wickham Way Market on Wickham Street in Limerick - the order was served on March 9 and lifted on March 13.

On March 26, under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations 2020, HSE inspectors served a closure order on Eddie Rockets at Point Village, East Wall Road, Dublin 1.

On that date, inspectors found evidence of "multiple fresh rodent droppings in multiple areas throughout the kitchen", in the wash-up area, and in the area where cleaning equipment was stored.

In their report, inspectors also noted that, at the time of inspection, staff present were unable to access the food safety management procedure in any form and were "not familiar with the contents of any food safety management procedure". The closure order was lifted on March 31.

Under the same EU legislation, a closure order was also served on PY Fast Food Food Stall, trading on Moore Street, Dublin 1, on March 10. The order was lifted on March 21.

FSAI chief executive Greg Dempsey said that enforcement orders, particularly closure orders and prohibition orders, "are only served where there is a serious and immediate risk to consumer health, or where there are persistent and significant breaches of food law, and not for minor infractions".

He said that in many of the closure orders issued in March, there was "a clear absence of the most basic food safety procedures, alongside high levels of pest activity and poor hygiene standards".

"Staff working in food businesses must be trained and/or supervised, so that they can carry out their work in line with food safety requirements. It is essential that all food businesses implement and maintain a robust food safety management system to prevent such violations," he said.

Mr Dempsey said there can be "no excuse for putting consumers’ health at risk through negligent practices and failing to comply with the legal requirements.

"Food businesses have a legal responsibility to ensure the food they sell or serve is safe to eat,” he added.