A FISH PROCESSING plant in Cork was served with a prohibition order the same month some of its products were recalled due to shellfish poisoning.

Shellfish de la Mer, which is based in Castletownbere in Cork, was served with the only prohibition order that was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 in March.

The same month, a number of the company’s products – some of which were on sale in Dunnes Stores and Tesco, and others which were mainly used by caterers – were recalled due to reports of shellfish poisoning.

A number of products were withdrawn under the order, including cooked mussel meat, chowder mix, uncooked chowder mix, and frozen seafood mix.

Closure orders

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) slapped seven closure orders and one prohibition order on Irish food businesses during March for breaches of food safety legislation.

The closure orders were issued by environmental health officers in the HSE and the prohibition order by sea-fisheries protection officers in the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority.

Closure orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

• Shamrock Take Away, Unit 1a, Barrack Street, Carlow
• The Red Store Bar & Restaurant, 150/151 North Main Street, Youghal, Cork

Meanwhile, five closure orders under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010, were served on:

• The Halfway House (restaurant) (kitchen only), Dooleague, Islandeady, Castlebar, Mayo
• Ravi’s Kitchen (restaurant), First Floor, 174 Pembroke Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
• Mario’s Take Away, Main Street, Mountrath, Laois
• Country Meats (butcher), Coneyburrow Road, Lifford, Donegal
• The Potato Market (restaurant), 1 Donovan Wharf, Crescent Quay, Wexford

Prosecution

Pakway Distributors Limited, 29 Orion Business Campus, Rosemount Business Park, Ballycoolin, Dublin 15 was also prosecuted last month by the HSE.

Professor Alan Reilly, Chief Executive, FSAI, said that there is “absolutely no excuse” for food businesses to put consumers’ health at risk through negligent practices.

While most food businesses follow high standards and are compliant with food safety legislation, we continue to encounter cases where consumers’ health is jeopardised through a failure to comply with food safety and hygiene requirements. These breaches are avoidable.

The FSAI has advice line for businesses on 1890 336677, while its website can be found here.

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