TEN FOOD BUSINESSES were served closure orders by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in May.

Some of the reasons for the closure orders include rodent droppings, dead insects, a “film of dirt” on cooking supplies and an unregistered business operating in a shed building where the other half of the shed was a working car workshop.

The closure orders were issued by environmental health officers in the HSE and by officers of the FSAI.

Five closure orders were served under the FSAI Act 1998 on:

• Haperty Limited – Trading at Mind Mega Mela 2025 (takeaway), St Margaret’s Road, Finglas, Dublin 11
• Spice Village & Indian Kebab House (takeaway), Ferry Road, Tarbert, Kerry
• Houda Foods (wholesaler/distributor), Unit 5, Ballinlough Business Park, Ballinlough, Roscommon
• Heyba’s Kitchen, trading at Shed A3 Bremore Farm, Flemington Lane, Bremore, Balbriggan, Dublin
• Stop n Shop Convenience Store (wholesaler/distributor), 52-54 Tullow Street, Carlow

Five closure orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations 2020 on:

• Kerala Royal Caters (service sector), Unit 27C, Ashbourne Business Centre, Ballybin Road, Ashbourne, Meath
• Pizza Corner (takeaway), Main Street Caherconlish, Limerick
• Shake Dog (restaurant/café), Unit 23, Showgrounds Shopping Centre, Clonmel, Tipperary
• Thindi (service sector), 143 Phibsborough Road, Dublin 7
• Tasty Food (takeaway), Unit 2, Cross Avenue, Ballyneety, Limerick

During an inspection of Heyba’s Kitchen, inspectors noted the shed building where the food business operates was divided in two by a head-high fabric curtain, where the other half of the shed was a working car workshop. 

They also noted that there were rodent droppings, dead insects, dirt and dust evident in the food handling areas, food packaging and equipment used.  

An inspection of Thindi on Phibsborough Road, Dublin 7, found there was faecal matter on the rim of the staff toilet bowl. Inspectors described the toilet bowl and seats as “entirely unclean”, with evidence of pubic hair and dirt.

There was a paper cup on the floor next to the toilet, which inspectors said was “for use by staff after using the toilet”.

The closure order was lifted on 21 May.

Haperty Limited was found to be incorrectly storing food at an outdoor festival, and no food safety management records were available to inspectors.

Raw fish and chicken were found to be in the range of 14 to 19 degrees, stored in a container on the grass “for an unknown period of time”.

An inspection of Houda Foods on 27 May found mouse droppings visible on the floor in the warehouse where food is stored.  

Inspectors also noted that the food was stored in a warehouse that is shared with another non-food business, and there is no physical separation between the businesses in the warehouse.

FSAI chief Greg Dempsey said that all food businesses “have a legal obligation to ensure the food they sell is safe to eat”.

“The high number of Enforcement Orders in May is disappointing, especially as the type of non-compliances, such as unclean premises and pest infestations, are all preventable where the business has a food safety management system in place and staff are properly trained,” Dempsey said.

“While the vast majority of food businesses comply with their legal requirement to register their business prior to operating, unfortunately, some choose to operate without the knowledge or supervision of the competent authorities, potentially exposing consumers to unsafe food.

“These businesses will be pursued using the legal powers available to us.”