Cockroaches, rats and fish heads: Ten closure orders served on food businesses in March

A Co Louth pizza restaurant was closed after health inspectors found a dead rat in an open drain outside the premises.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) took action following an inspection of Mizzoni’s in Ardee during which multiple breaches of food hygiene standards were detected. Rodent droppings were observed in the food and packaging store, kitchen and the front service area, the FSAI said.

Numerous gaps and possible entry points for pests were noted throughout the premises when the inspector visited on March 21st last. The inspector concluded that the conditions “posed a grave and immediate danger to public health and the risk of contamination of food”.

Rodent dropping were also observed at the Union Café in Deerpark Road, Mount Merrion in Dublin. They were found on the floor of the kitchen behind the dessert freezer and that area had not been cleaned and thoroughly disinfected.

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A large accumulation of rotting food was noted in an open receptacle beside the grease trap. The café was ordered to be closed between March 22nd and 25th.

Rodent droppings were observed in the cup/mug/beverage cupboard at Portarlington Rugby Club in Co Laois and also in the bottle store, the FSAI said.

Cockroach infestation

An African takeaway in Dublin’s north inner-city was closed because a live cockroach infestation was found in the kitchen. Dirt, grease, food debris and the remains of dead cockroaches were observed under and behind cooking equipment and work units at Johnson Best Food African Take Away in Summerhill.

In addition, a prohibition order was served on the premises after meat and fish were found in an external chest freezer with no labelling or traceability information. The food stuffs that were ordered to be destroyed included a large white bag of gizzards, six bags of fish heads, a large bag of cow skin and a large bag of cow intestine.

Sushi Mood restaurant in Drogheda, Co Louth was shut temporarily because there was “no evidence to demonstrate that the food business operator was trained in food safety commensurate with their duties,” the FSAI inspector concluded.

“The food business operator demonstrated poor food safety knowledge in relation to the freezing of raw fish and the acidification of rice used in the sushi manufacture process. Food handlers who are inadequately trained or instructed in food safety can pose a risk to food safety.”

No water supply

A closure order on Daisy’s Grill in the Malahide Road Industrial Park in Dublin was served when inspectors found there was no water supply to the premises even though raw meat and ready to eat sandwiches were being prepared on site.

“There was no method whereby equipment, food or hands could be washed. This is likely to result in food being contaminated with bacteria,” the inspector stated.

The FSAI reported 11 enforcement orders consisting of 10 closure orders and one prohibition order.

Also, during the month of March, one prosecution was taken by the HSE. Milne Foods Limited, in Syngefield Industrial Estate, Birr, Co Offaly, was fined €12,500 with a €5,000 contribution to HSE legal costs.

The business was temporarily closed last year as a result of “persistent and recurring failure to comply” with safety regulation. As a result samples of their food were found to have Listeria bacteria which can cause food poisoning.