REVEALED: The reason popular Offaly restaurant and takeaway was closed down
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has published the reasons for a closure order served on an Offaly restaurant last month.
The HSE ordered the closure of Café India restaurant and takeaway in Tullamore under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 79 of 2020) last month.
It has now been revealed in correspondence sent by the HSE to the owner of Cafe India that this closure was ordered due to a lack of compliance with some hygiene and food storage regulations.
The HSE said "the premises was not kept in a clean condition," adding that "there was evidence that articles, fittings and equipment coming into contact with food were not effectively cleaned and disinfected."
The HSE reasoning continued: "There was evidence that cleaning and disinfection was not taking place at a frequency sufficient to avoid any risk of contamination. This lack of adequate cleaning in the premise was identified during previous
inspections and continues to be an issue."
The following evidence of non-compliance in relation to cleaning was found during an inspection at Café India before its closure order:
"Dried food and dirt was encrusted onto food storage containers and equipment in which food was stored. Shelving throughout the premises on which food and food preparation equipment is stored was encrusted with dirt and grease.
"The floor throughout the premises was greasy and dirty. Floor tile grouting in the kitchen was particularly dirty with dirt and food debris in-grained into the tile grouting. Dirt was noted lodged in areas where floor tiles are cracked/damaged. Dirt was noted lodged at wall to floor junctions.
"A build-up of dirt was encrusted on the floor underneath tables, shelving and equipment. Ponding of water was noted on the floor in the wash-up area. Wall and ceiling surfaces were dirty throughout the premises."
In terms of the risk these issues posed, the HSE said: "Ineffective and infrequent cleaning could pose a risk of contamination of foods prepared in the premises and the provision of a food source for pests in the premises and this is a risk to public health."
Further to that, Cafe India was found in breach of regulations related to food storage and labelling.
The HSE noted: "There was a quantity of chicken found defrosting in the fridge which had inadequate labelling. There was no labelling on pre-prepared food in the refrigerated storage or on foods in frozen storage.
"The lack of adequate labelling poses a risk of contaminated food being placed on the market which is a risk to public health."
They also said a "quantity of dough was observed being stored on a dirty, chipped, damaged wooden tray which was not suitable for direct contact with food. The dough was partially covered with cling film which had deteriorated and small particles of the plastic were noted embedded in some of the food.
Addressing the risk of this breach, the HSE report said: "The storage conditions observed poses risk of food contamination and a risk to public health."
Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed in the enforcement reports 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.
Commenting in a month where the FSAI issued six enforcement orders, Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI, warned that the legal onus is on food businesses to ensure they fully comply with food safety legislation at all times.
“It is unacceptable that we continue to find non-compliance with food safety legislation," she said.
"Food business operators who do not fulfil their legal obligations to ensure food safety and hygiene are potentially putting their customer’s health at risk. Enforcement Orders and most especially Closure Orders and Prohibition Orders are served on food businesses only when a serious risk to consumer health has been identified or where there are a number of ongoing serious breaches of food legislation. Enforcement Orders are not served for minor breaches,” she added.
Dr Byrne stated that extensive resources are available to assist businesses comply with their obligations around food safety. She urged businesses to take full advantage of the information and support provided by the inspectorate and the FSAI to ensure that they have the correct food safety management systems in place.
Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website at www.fsai.ie.