Inspection of Limerick takeaway finds ‘extensive rodent activity’

A food takeaway where rodents were found to have access to food preparation surfaces was among eight food businesses served with closure orders last month for breaches of food safety legislation.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said on Tuesday an order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998, closing The Magnet takeaway premises at The Cross, Knocklong, Co Limerick.

An inspection found the premises was not in a clean and hygienic condition with evidence of “extensive rodent activity” in the rear store, reception area and first floor vacant areas with rodents having access to food preparation surfaces.

The remaining seven orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020.

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The operator of Rongs Asian Supermarket, located at 157 Parnell Street, Dublin 1, was ordered to close activities involving slicing, packing and labelling of raw meat products for reasons including failure to ensure the relevant authority had up to date information on the range of activities taking place there.

An inspection found insufficient work space and facilities to process raw meat products in a hygienic manner and that frozen sliced rolls of raw meat were mislabelled after further processing, fraudulently mispresenting the products originated directly from slaughter houses and meat processors.

The operator of Feng Yuan Meats, also trading at 157 Parnell Street, Dublin 1, was served with an order ceasing all activities of the business. The order said the submitted registration form for the business did not indicate the main activities carried out in the food business, noted hygiene issues and said frozen meat was defrosted prior to sale at the butchers counter and sold as fresh or chilled meats.

Greenheartcbd ltd food supplements business, at Curragha, Ashbourne, Co Meath, was subject of a closure order after an analysis of samples of its CBD oil products determined those to be contaminated and unsafe, posing a risk to public health as the declared concentration was misleading to the characteristics and composition of the food.

Blanch Fried Chicken takeaway was served with an order requiring immediate cessation of the preparation of raw chicken and any other raw meat. That business is located at Unit 40B Coolmine Industrial Estate, Porters Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. An inspection found raw chicken was being prepared on a surface also used for the preparation of ready to eat salads.

Scran takeaway, located at 114 Bohermore, Galway, was served with a closure order for reasons including raw chicken preparation was taking place in contravention of the operator’s November 2021 registration. This indicated the premises was a takeaway with the main activities being “. . . preparation of sandwiches, scones and tea/coffee. No raw meat preparation”. An inspection found inadequate temperature control measures for high-risk food in the food room and lack of adequate work space to permit good food hygiene practices.

Spice Magic supermarket/takeaway, with an address at Pullolil House Carrigatogher, Nenagh, Tipperary, was subject of a closure order over failures of the operator, including to identify relevant food safety hazards and to ensure it was kept clean. A large pool of blood was noted on the floor surrounding the freezer used for meat storage, there was no hand wash basin for use in the food business and no hot running water.

Grennan's retailer, at Barrack Street/Kilbride Street, Tullamore, Co Offaly, was ordered to close activities involving the preparation and sale of ready to eat foods. The operator failed to identify necessary hazards and associated controls to prevent public contamination of food after introducing a raw meat butcher counter in an existing bakery/ready to eat food premises, the order stated.

Dr Pamela Byrne, chief executive of FSAI, said the vast majority of food businesses in Ireland must be commended for adhering to high food safety standards but there continues to be a number of food businesses failing to do so. "There is simply no excuse for negligent practices," she said.

Closure orders remain listed in the enforcement reports on the FSAI website for three months from the date when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue.