Enforcement orders were served on five businesses last month for breaches of food safety legislation.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said these included four closure orders served on Nour Foods butcher, 11 Abbey Street, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo; QW Legend Ltd, trading as Buffet Master, 113 Main Street, Bray, Co Wicklow; Ned’s Fast Food Takeaway, Rosenallis, Co Laois; and Zam Zam 1 butcher, Unit 4, Cookstown Enterprise Park, Dublin 24.
Environmental health officers in the west also served a prohibition order on Connolly’s Butchers, Main Street, Kinlough, Co Leitrim.
In addition, the HSE South recently took a successful prosecution against Goa Tandoori, 24 Main Street, Charleville, Co Cork.
Mohammed Uzman pleaded guilty to 14 food hygiene-related offences and was fined €350.
HSE Dublin North East prosecuted Superquinn, Pavilions Shopping Centre, Swords, Co Dublin, for a breach of the EU regulations on infant formula. Superquinn was convicted and fined €500.
FSAI chief executive Prof Alan Reilly urged food businesses to make sure that there is a food safety management system in place.
“The onus is on each individual food business to ensure that all staff handling and preparing food are up to date on best safety and hygiene practices.
“It is a legal requirement that all staff handling food are supervised and/or trained in food hygiene commensurate with their responsibilities.”
Closure orders are served where there is, or there is likely to be, a grave and immediate danger to public health at the food premises.
Prohibition orders are issued if the handling, processing, disposal, manufacturing, storage, distribution or selling of food involve or are likely to involve a serious risk to public health.