The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has ordered the closure of ten food businesses during the month of September in counties Dublin, Cork, Meath, Louth and Donegal.

The closure orders and one prohibition order were served for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010.

The Enforcement Orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) and veterinary inspectors in a local authority.

Five Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

Pastel King (Restaurant/Café), 22/23 Moore Street, Dublin 1

Oriental Pantry Supermarket Limited (Retailer), 22/23 Moore Street, Dublin 1

Noor Foods (Butcher Shop), 10 Church Street, Dundalk, Louth

Stela Food Stores (Retailer), Unit 8, Ringwood Centre, Damastown Close, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15

Londis (Retailer), 49 Grafton Street, Dublin 2

Five Closure Orders were served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010 on:

Taste of India (Take Away), 39 Main Street Lower, Letterkenny, Donegal

Jesels Ltd (Closed activity: The decanting, mixing, packing/repacking and distribution or sale of such sweets and confectionery) (Manufacturer), Unit 3a, Dunshaughlin Business Park, Dublin Road, Dunshaughlin, Meath

Tsangs Restaurant (Take Away), Littlepace Shopping Centre, Clonee, Dublin 15

Lal Quila (Restaurant/ Café), Douglas Village, Douglas, Cork

East Oriental (Take Away), Unit 5, Brabazon Hall, Ardee Street, Dublin 8

One Prohibition Order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

MJI Meats 2595 (Small Meat Manufacturing Plant), Unit 6, Enterprise Centre, Ballyhaunis, Mayo

Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in September include the presence of a dead rodent located underneath the delicatessen counter; providing inaccurate allergen information; staff failing to wash their hands throughout cooking and service; dirty cloths being used for cleaning food areas; evidence of rodent activity throughout food handling and storage areas; thawing, re-mincing and reprocessing of frozen mincemeat, some of which was beyond its best-before expiry date; evidence of an absence of safe practices for thawing or cooking foods; and foods being left sitting at room temperature from the previous evening, posing a threat to customers' health.

Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI has emphasised that vigilance is always required in relation to food safety and standards must not be permitted to slip to such levels that consumer health is put at risk.

“The rate at which Enforcement Orders are required for rodent-related incidents and poor hygiene standards is disconcerting. With eleven Enforcement Orders in September, it was disappointing to see a number of these relating to the presence of rodents in food premises and also a number where the hygiene standards were very poor.

"Food businesses must ensure that proper pest control systems are in place to ensure satisfactory hygiene standards. Incidents involving rodents in food preparation areas are not acceptable. It is the responsibility of all food business operators to ensure that their premises are fully compliant with food safety legislation, in the interests of their customers and their businesses. Consumers need to have confidence that the food they purchase has been produced to the highest standards”, Dr Byrne concluded.

Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website.

Closure Orders and Improvement Orders remain listed on the FSAI 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.