Newbridge food company closed by health inspectors
Nine businesses across the country were ordered to be closed during August
A NEWBRIDGE food wholesaler was one of nine businesses nationally ordered to be closed during August, according to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).
The FSAI reported that environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) served eight closure orders and one prohibition order on food businesses during August for breaches of food safety legislation. Bk Foods Limited (Wholesaler/Distributor), Clongorey, Newbridge was one of these.
Some of the reasons for the various enforcement orders in August include: an active cockroach infestation throughout a basement kitchen, with live and dead cockroaches visible on the floor, the wash hand sink, water tank, behind freezers and inside a standing freezer where food was prepared.
Other reasons listed was the failure to maintain a clean premises, with greasy floors covered in congealed dirt and food debris, inadequate hand washing facilities, with no hot water available throughout the premises; raw beef and raw chicken prepared in a kitchen without effective cleaning and disinfecting procedures in place, and no measures to prevent cross-contamination; inadequate pest proofing, with numerous rodent droppings noted on shelving and food equipment in a storage unit containing personal protective clothing, cleaning equipment and redundant food equipment; unsafe storage practices in a cold room where food ingredients were kept and false and misleading information provided regarding the preparation and handling of food.
However, the report did not specify which of these infringements BK Foods was found to be in breach of.
“It is disappointing to see the same issues, such as poor hygiene and pest control problems, being identified each month,” said Greg Dempsey, chief executive of the FSAI.
“Businesses selling food to consumers need to ensure that they met their legal obligations, and that the food they sell is safe to eat.
“While the majority of food businesses take their responsibilities to their customers very seriously, we continue to see a small number of businesses subject to enforcement action, including closure, due to their non-compliances with basic food safety standards.
“We also have an online complaint process at www.fsai.ie/makeitbetter, where consumers can report inappropriate and unsafe food and practices, which can result in enforcement action being taken. This is an essential component of the food system and it supports the work of the food inspectorate to ensure the highest standards and quality across the food chain,” added Mr Dempsey.
Closure orders and improvement orders will remain listed in the enforcement reports on the website for a period of three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with prohibition orders being listed for a period of one month.
The majority of the nine are takeaways, and are spread nationwide from Killorglin to Drogheda.
