FOUR FOOD BUSINESSES were shut down in February by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) over issues such as rodent droppings and unsafe food practices. 

Businesses served with food closure orders were:

• Anu’s Kitchen on Belgard Road, Tallaght, Co Dublin 
• Costa Coffee on Pearse Street, Ballina, Co Mayo
• Camile Thai (upstairs attic closed) on Looney’s Cross, Bishopstown, Co Cork
• Polish Grocery Janosiki (rear outside yard used to smoke meats closed) in Dungarvan, Co Waterford

Two prohibition orders were served to:

• LuckyMe Limited in Dublin Industrial Estate, Glasnevin, Co Dublin 
• Polish Grocery Janosiki in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford

The report for Anu’s Kitchen in Tallaght said “evidence of fresh rodent (rat) droppings” was found in the food storage area beside the kitchen. 

There was a lack of pest-proofing on the premises, the report said. 

“A grave and immediate danger exists due to the current rodent infestation in an area where food is handled,” the report said. 

In Costa Coffee in Ballina, there was evidence of “significant rodent activity” on the premises. Rodent dropped were apparent in different locations including the packaging store room, the boiler room and the main store room. 

Camille Thai in Bishopstown had evidence of rodent droppings in the upstairs attic storage space which was used to store food, food contact materials, food equipment and food packaging. 

The report said this space was unsuitable for food storage as “gaps are evident in the walls and wall to ceiling junctions”. 

It said there is a “serious risk of food being contaminated giving rise to a grave and immediate danger to public health”. 

The layout of the yard at Polish Grocery Janosiki in Dungarvan was deemed unsuitable for the production of food.

The concrete surfaces “do not permit adequate cleaning or disinfection required in food production areas”, the report said.  

In the prohibition order for LuckyMe Limited, it outlined that over 250kg of “unidentified and untraceable processed raw meat items” was found in a walk in freezer at the premises which was not associated with the food business. 

The report said this meat was “sliced and rolled according to the food business operator in another food premises”. 

The operator wasn’t able to verify who had supplied the meat, which the environmental health officer in the report said provides “no assurance as to the safety of the food”. 

Chief executive of the FSAI Pamela Byrne said the orders “demonstrate the importance of regular and consistent checks by businesses to ensure safe food practices are in place and adhered to”.