Dublin business told meat products ‘not for human consumption’ after food past use-by date found

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) served three businesses with closure orders in April and told transporter Pak Halal at 76 Main Street, Swords that some of their products are “not to be used for human consumption.”

Cobwebs, no electricity and poor hygiene were among what inspectors found at some food businesses in Limerick, Meath, Navan and Dublin last month.

An inspector served Pak Halal at 76 Main Street, Swords, Co. Dublin with a prohibition order after finding a number of food items were not compliant with food legislation.

Poor labelling and damaged packaging were found by the inspector, who told the business to withdraw a number of lamb, turkey and other products.

Frozen food was labelled as fresh food, the inspector noted. The “majority” of the food had also passed its use by date or had no use by date.

There was “no information” on the boxes and bags of food that showed when the food had been frozen and some packaging had been damaged. It was “not protected from contamination,” the inspector said.

20 items from the food transporter Pak Halal – including an unlabelled bag of frozen bones – should “not be used for human consumption or placed on the market” following the inspection.

It should also be “restricted or prohibited from being placed on the market” and “in the interests of public health destroyed in a manner as prescribed by the authorised officer.”

A restaurant in Limerick was served a closure order last month as it had no “continuous supply” of hot water, no electricity at the time of inspection and the boiler was not working.

The inspector visiting Little Neros, The Square, Abbeyfeale noted some “high risk” food was stored at “unsafe” temperatures, including meat.

The full premises was served with the closure order under the FSAI Act 1998.

In Tipperary, the deli of Meaghers Daybreak on Kerry Street in Fethard was closed as it was “unclean” with some parts of the floor accumulating “food debris, dirt and cobwebs.”

One refrigerated display unit was found to be exposing some “high-risk, ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat food” to “potentially unsafe temperatures.”

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) asked that the the deli and the refrigerated unit be closed. The rest of the store was not impacted.

In Navan, Co. Meath, the take-away Vicos Grill was told that “all of the business, its establishments, holdings or other premises be closed” due to a number of hygiene issues.

The inspector found that there was a “failure” at the business on 1 Ludlow Street to put in place proper hygiene procedures.

“Dirty and greasy” equipment were found by the inspector and an insufficient ventilation system.

Those handling the food were found to lack food safety knowledge in relation to the storage, handling and production of food at the business.

Both Vicos Grill and Meagher’s Daybreak have since had their closure orders lifted.

Dr Pamela Byrne, the Chief Executive of the FSAI said the enforcement orders served “represent a clear disregard for compliance with food legislation which has been put in place to protect consumers.”

She added: “Consumers have a right to safe food. Maintaining a clean premises with constant and reliable access to hot water and electricity is a basic, legal and mandatory requirement of all food businesses.

"Food businesses are also legally obliged to provide consumers with accurate written allergen information on all food, whether prepacked or not.”